Still
by LePapillonFendu
Summary: Saint Seiya crossover. The stars have stopped movement, and the Earth moves hesitantly. What lurks over the horizon? Rated for language and a bit of Shoujo-ai. (more of a safety rating than anything else)
1. Default Chapter

Hihi! Tis me, Auten, and you lucky lucky folks are viewing the results of my imagination combined with my allergy medicine! Wooohooo! Quick note-like thingie; first off, Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Masami Kurumada respectively. Secondly, since I am posting this in the Sailor Moon section, those of you who do not follow Saint Seiya, I will attempt to explain; Saint Seiya is mostly about five teenage boys who protect Saori Kido, who is in fact, that reincarnation of the goddess Athena. The boys, Hyoga, Seiya, Shun, Ikki, and Shiryu all have a guardian constellation; Cygnus, Pegasus, Andromeda, Phoenix, and Draco respectively. They wear sacred armor referred to as a cloth which can only be damaged by another knight or an extremely powerful force. They are also gifted with superhuman strength and other powers. I am not sure when this is taking place in Saint Seiya time, so just go along with it. As for Sailor Moon time, probably before Stars and after SuperS. Ok...I think that is it. I hope that is it anyways.

Haruka was sitting still, which was an unusual occurrence in itself. Haruka was sitting still, and letting her cigarette dangle from her fingertips, the smoke floating up to twist and blur against the stars. Her leg was drawn up so that she could rest her chin on it, the other tapping the ground in a rhythm that only she knew. The wind picked up, stirring a few strands of corn silk hair, and lines marred her forehead.

"The wind has changed." Michiru stood behind her and slightly to her left, pushing an errant strand of blue hair behind her ear.

"Trouble," Haruka grunted, having known this for quite some time. The wind was restless. Everything was restless smothering underneath the hot blanket of summer. Michiru came to her side, her gauzy dress brushing the blonde's hand.

"And the tide has come too early, and too fast." Her voice, sweet as silver bells, rang in the still night air, disrupting the stifling coverlet, if only for a moment.

"Change...it will rush to greet us, and not with desired effects," Haruka replied. Michiru's silence agreed with Haruka. Both of them were well versed in the ways of the nature, and how shifts in the natural cycle could prophesize an event. Haruka glanced sideways at Michiru, taking a drag from her cigarette. Michiru met her gaze, and wrinkled her nose.

"I wish you wouldn't do that, Haruka. It's bad for the health." The strong, slender fingers of the seated woman twitched slightly, and a cool breeze wound itself around them, carrying away the smoke. Haruka raised her eyebrows at Michiru, who merely sighed, and looked over the lake.

"The lake is very still. Nearly like a mirror," Michiru commented, watching the still water mirror the sky. Haruka shifted her weight uneasily, rubbing her leg where it had begun to fall asleep.

"Everything is too still," she replied darkly, looking around. "By God, Michiru...it's too still." The blue-haired woman nodded her agreement.

"Yes...it is far too still. Even the wind moves hesitantly, as though it knows to stray wearily into the human world. I wonder why."

"You need not wonder anymore." A new voice broke in, rich and deep. Unlike Haruka's, it fell musically over the syllables, as though it had known many languages. Haruka and Michiru turned to see the woman who approached them from the side, her steps a whisper in the grass. "Have you seen the stars?" she inquired of them. Haruka shrugged, and Michiru frowned.

"The stars? Why would we watch the stars?" She asked, as though it were a silly question. Setsuna gestured to the heavens.

"If you had, you might have noticed that they have not changed positions for three nights." Following her incredulous observation, there was only the muffled sounds of insects and animals, carefully treading their way through the nighttime world.

"Setsuna, what does that mean?" Haruka asked in a low voice. Cerise eyes watched her carefully as the Guardian of Time considered the both of them.

"It is time to come out of retirement, ladies. The world treads carefully through its orbit, the planets are cautious; the stars have completely ceased their movement, and hang frozen in the sky. There is something on the prowl, and my guess is that Earth is its first stop."


	2. Things Fall Apart

Once again...Saint Seiya and Sailor Moon belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Masami Kurumada

Saori's fingers stilled over the ivory keys, the quiet doom that had laid dormant in her breast for the few moments she played was rising again, making her feel a knot of anxiety twisting deep in her stomach. There was something wrong.

She sighed, and rose from the piano bench, sweeping up her skirts and stepping to a large window which looked scenically over the grounds of the Kido estate. The stars shone in the sky brightly, but they would not move.

_They would not move_. A small sob escaped the princess as she considered this. There was something truly wrong if the stars had stopped moving. The populous had not noticed quite yet, but they would soon...the astronomers would find that there was no flaw in their telescopes, that there was no error in their calculations.

The saints had gotten restless, the odd behavior of the stars reflecting in them. Shun had become pale, and jumpy, often not eating but refusing the leave the company of his companions. Shiryu had fallen into an ongoing brooding silence, rarely speaking, more often looking solemn and worried. As for Ikki, Hyoga, and Seiya...they had begun to snipe at each other, picking three way fights more often than not.

The stars' movement-or lack thereof-was throwing everyone off. And Saori felt it too; anxious and nervous, she spent hours in the immense Kido library looking for evidence of this happening before. The rest of her time, she sat in her planetarium, questions pinging around in her head. _Why was this happening to them_?

Steps behind her caused her to whirl around, one hand flying to her face to wipe away the tears of frustration. Shun stood a few feet away, bearing a tray of what Saori recognized as that evening's dinner.

"When Tatsumi heard that you didn't show up with dinner, he nearly had a cow." He offered, by way of explanation, setting down the tray. "I was volunteered to bring you dinner." Saori nodded, ducking her head, and praying that the saint could not see watery eyes.

"Did you eat tonight?" She asked curiously, spearing a pea with the silver fork. Only the best for Miss Kido. Shun shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Ikki made me. He threatened to impact my face to the back of my head if I didn't." Saori nodded, chewing delicately, but not really tasting the food.

"I see. And the others, what are they doing?" She always tried to hide her concern for the saints behind a cool and demure manner, but recently, everything was falling apart. Nothing really seemed to matter. Shun rubbed the back of his head in thought.

"Well...Shiryu is thinking in front of the fire, again. And Tatsumi is facing it off with Ikki..."

"What did Ikki do?" Saori inquired, wondering what had gotten her somewhat neurotic bodyguard riled up. The green-haired saint sighed heavily.

"Ikki got caught making out in the garden...again," he said ruefully. "And then Seiya called Hyoga a birdbrain, and Hyoga called Seiya a pony, and so they're battling it out too." Saori had nothing to say to that, and Shun went to leave. She heard his steps hesitate though.

"I don't know, Saori...everything's messed up now." With that statement, he left, leaving Saori alone with her roiling thoughts, her mind snatching up that comment and turning it into a terrifying something.


	3. Abandon

Ooers...big things in the works! Hoshimare and Kybele, thanks so much for reviewing! I will try to update as much as I can, promise. Kybele, about pairing Mina and Hyoga...they would be a good couple as far as personalities go, but I am rather hesitant to put them together, as they both look SO alike; blond hair and blue eyes! Why do you think they should be paired together?

Haruka watched the miko, feeling bored while Rei chewed out Usagi for being late. After the blonde had finished her wails, and was convinced that she would not attain a permanent brain injury from Rei's abuse, the inner scouts turned to Haruka with the air of little sisters watching their big sisters get ready for a party.

"What's up, Haruka?" Makoto asked easily, reclining. The elder ran a hand through her short hair, and frowned.

"Big things are in the works," she replied, not looking them directly in the eyes. "You feel it, don't you?" Minako nodded, pale strands of hair falling into her eyes.

"I feel...anxious all of the time. And I can't sleep at night," she confessed, looking a tad worried. Rei toyed with a charm on her costume.

"Yes...me too. Deimos and Phobos have been awfully jumpy lately, too," Rei gestured at her crows on the window sill that cawed at her movement and flapped away.

"I was more worried about the fact that the stars have stopped moving," Ami added, blue eyes troubled. "And no logical explanation can be found."

"That," Haruka broke in, "Is because there is nothing logical about the stars ceasing movement." The girls nodded, all silent. Even the relaxed stance was gone in Makoto and replaced with a tense position.

"Isn't that impossible?" Usagi inquired, finger on her chin. "I thought that the stars didn't move but the earth does..." Rei threw an apple at her, which was quickly returned. Haruka sighed, wishing at times that she could deal with adults as opposed to girls.

"That is what some choose to believe. In the ancient times, it was believed that the stars moved of their own accord. It seems that this is the case."

"What can we do about it, then?" Ami inquired, looking very put out that her beloved science had been so rudely shoved aside by myth.

"Keep an eye out. Setsuna came the other night, so we know this isn't anything to screw with. This is the real deal. Watch your backs, and watch your surroundings."

"Do you think we'll get super-hyped up new sailor fukus?" Minako asked hopefully. Usagi leapt up, eyes shining.

"Yes! And maybe we can design them ourselves!" As the two blondes went off on a completely new tangent, Ami and Makoto exchanged amused looks while Rei began to pummel Usagi with a pillow, demanding that she act a little serious.

Haruka choose that moment to step outside of the door, heading away from the temple, and down the stairs. She felt a curious sense of annoyance mixed with jealousy at the inners' reactions; they had been able to dismiss the threat so easily whereas she and Michiru had been up night after night, worry aging their faces.

A figure was leaned against her car, illuminated by the light from the moon. The woman turned, the silvery light giving her eyes a liquid dark quality.

"They are not taking it seriously," Michiru remarked darkly. Haruka reached over and pushed a strand of hair out of her pale face, her long fingers lingering on Michiru's cheekbone.

"Then it's up to us...we've gotten along so far. And now that we have to Talismans...it'll be a cinch," Haruka reassured her lover. Michiru heaved a sigh, chasing beads of water around on the hood of the car.

"Yes...but if what Setsuna hints at is the real deal...will we be enough? Will the inners be enough?" Haruka shrugged, and unlocked the door, sitting behind the wheel, waiting for Michiru to get.

"Who knows until it happens?" The car started as Haruka viscously turned the ignition. "We just have to wait and have faith."

"I hope it will be enough."


	4. Sweet Dreams

does update dance woohoo new chappie! Thanks again Hoshimare and Kybele! As for the gold saints, Hoshimare, I am slowly working my way through the uncut DVD's and as of now, I haven't gotten to the gold saints yet. I did see quite a lot of the dub, but I do not trust the dub, as they made the blood blue. I mean, honestly. Blue blood. Will the wonders never cease? But, yeah, I tend to stay away from writing about characters that I haven't seen, as I don't feel as though I know them well enough. And Kybele, as for Mina and Hyoga...I am thinking about it. I don't even know how much romance that I'll be putting in this. Ick...I hate dealing with pairings. I am leaning towards just hinting that Mina and Hyoga like each other, but nothing really big. It's just the fact that they look so alike that keeps me from pairing them together, as that sort of thing just bothers me. I don't know why. But I'll see what I can do. Thanks for reviewing! And once again, I sadly do not own St. Seiya or Sailor Moon.

_It was the night sky. He automatically felt calmed as he gazed at the stars, the constellation of Pegasus winking back at him. His eyes roamed over the rest of the stars...the rest of his friends. And spread between them were the bright pinpoints that were the planets. He wondered briefly at the luminosity of the planets, at how brilliant they appeared besides the stars. The saint smiled...he could remain beneath that sky for ages, never moving..._

_"The planets appear bright because their avatars burn with the power of the galaxy." A woman's voice swam around him, the beauty surpassing any voice he had ever heard before. It was calm and melodious and it filled his mind with resonating tones. _

_But, the serenity that had filled him upon hearing that voice was gone. In fact, everything was gone...the light was dimmed, and in the semi-darkness, everything around him appeared wasted and wretched. He turned his face to the sky, and flowing amongst the darkened stars was a long, black shape. _

_It turned to him, as if it had spotted him, and he saw two horrible yellow eyes glowing at him, and he felt the malice and hate that this creature undoubtedly possessed wash through his own body. His heart hardened as he felt anger burning his heart, and he suddenly felt the desire to destroy everything and anything in his path. _

_"You know my heart," the creature hissed, flowing down to him. "Now, give me your soul." The mouth opened and when it did, so did a great vortex. He screamed, and screamed, feeling his soul, his heart being sucked from his chest._

_It was over...he floated in a sea of nothingness...he was nothing...nothing and nothing and nothing and nothing..._

"Nothing! Nothing and nothing and nothing nothing...dear God, I am nothing!" Seiya writhed beneath his covers, and Hyoga felt a very real fear worm its way through his heart.

"What is doing this to him?" he demanded, wrestling one arm down to the mattress. Ikki pushed down on Seiya's shoulders with all of his strength and shot Hyoga a look.

"Whatever the hell it is, it had better stop soon!" he grunted. Shiryu and Shun had thrown themselves on Seiya's legs, and Hyoga was trying to shout Seiya awake. It wasn't working.

"God...God, I am NOTHING! Nothing...help me, help me, save me!" The saint wailed, twisting in the grip of his friend's.

"Hyoga, get his other arm!" Shriyu cried suddenly. Both Ikki and Hyoga looked to see that Seiya's other hand had been clawing at his chest so much that he had actually gauged four rents in the sweating flesh that were bleeding quite a lot. Hyoga opted for another approach.

Letting go of the Pegasus saint, he drew back his hand, and laid a powerful slap on Seiya's face. The sleeping man stopped moving instantly, and the hand with bloodstained nails crept to his face, and his eyes opened to gaze balefully at the swan saint.

"Jesus Hyoga, you could've gone with the bucket of ice water," he grumbled, trying to sit up. That was when he noticed that his other friends were holding him down rather forcefully. "Oy! What the hell are you guys _on_? Lemme go, lemme go right now!" The others leapt away as Seiya sat up, and looked at them the same way a person might look at someone who juts declared the sky to be falling.

"What was that all about?!" He demanded, hand still on his cheek. Ikki looked at him incredulously.

"You mean...you don't remember?" Seiya frowned at him.

"Remember what?" he snapped. Then, it looked as though something had dawned on him. "Oh no...I didn't get goaded into another drinking contest...did I?" The others exchanged looks.

"I did! I can't believe it!" He moaned, burying his face in his hands. "From now on, Ikki, you stay away from me when you wanna drink." Hyoga frowned deeply.

"How could he forget? He was acting as though he was being tortured." Shiryu nodded in agreement.

"Something that caused a reaction of that magnitude could not be pushed aside for any reason. By all rights, Seiya should be in a shock right now, at least." Ikki shrugged, and cast another speculative look at Seiya.

"Whatever the case, I'm surprised he's not huddled in some corner, weeping." Seiya leaped out of his bed, approached Hyoga, and jabbed a finger into the blonde's chest.

"I want to know what you are talking about, right now...or I may have to hurt someone," Seiya said in a dangerously low voice. Shun peeked over Hyoga's shoulder, and cocked his head so that some of his hair fell over one eye.

"Well...we heard you screaming and making a racket, Seiya, so we came to check on you. You were lying in bed and tossing a lot..."

"Do you not remember anything, Seiya?" The dragon saint inquired. "Look at you chest." Seiya looked down, and his eyes widened when he saw the long scratches that he had endowed upon himself. Picking aside the blood drenched cloth that was his tee shirt, he looked up and glared at the others.

"How the hell did this happen?!" Ikki snatched the saint's wrist, and showed Seiya his bloodstained fingernails.

"You did, idiot. You were clawing at yourself, and moaning on about being nothing." Seiya studied his hand for a moment, before looking up hesitantly at his friends.

"Did I....did I really do this?" He asked weakly, as though he were hoping that they would all laugh, and claim that it was all a big joke. No such luck. "How is it that I had such a bad dream...that I can't remember any of it?" he asked, sitting on the bed, and putting his forehead in his hand. Shiryu sighed heavily, and looked troubled.

"Seiya, if there is a power that can inflict such an impression on you, and then wipe it completely from your memory, what else can they do to you?" The saints fell into silence, wondering at the magnitude of what Shiryu was suggesting.


	5. Sway over Sleep

Thank you Hoshimare and Kybele! You guys are so nice! huggles This part just kinda explains the bitlet about the dreams...in a way. And about Hotaru...uh, yea, we are just going to pretend that she has already grown to age 12...poetic license...how I love it!! Enjoy! Oh, and yes, the rumors are true; Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya do not belong to yours truly.

"I had a dream." Hotaru waited for Michiru to complete her sonata, merely wishing to feel the words on her tongue before the blue-haired beauty gave her all of her attention. Michiru's bow dropped and she gazed at Hotaru patiently.

"What was that, dear?" she asked, laying the violin carefully in its case. Hotaru took a deep breath.

"I had a dream." Michiru opened her mouth to speak when a deeper voice interrupted.

"That's a pretty common phenomena, kiddo," Haruka remarked, strolling inside, tugging off her blazer, and smiling at Hotaru. The girl remained solemn, and the smile faded from Haruka's face.

"What did you dream about, Hotaru?" Michiru asked after glaring at Haruka for interrupting. The blonde fell into a sulky silence, and Hotaru looked not at Michiru, but out the window.

"It wasn't a dream, really. It was more of a...nightmare." Neither of the two women present missed the shudder that ran through the slight girl's body.

"What happened?" Michiru gently pressed. Hotaru sighed, one hand straying up to rest directly above her heart.

"I was underneath a night sky," she began slowly, her eyes dimming with memory. "And I was in awe of the stars and the planets...they were so bright. So beautiful. And I heard a voice tell me that the stars were bright because the saints' were burning their cosmos." Haruka took a deep breath, probably to ask about the saints that Hotaru had mentioned, when Michiru gave her a sharp look that said ever so plainly, _do NOT interrupt. _Haruka lapsed back into her silence, and Hotaru still watched out the window.

"And then...the beauty of it all left. Everything was ugly and bare. And this...thing...came after me. It tried to bend me to its will, tried to make me feel the malice it did. And when it realized that I did feel it, and I let it go through me, it attacked. It tried to draw my soul away, and I saw a woman behind it, looking fearful. She knew that she and her creature had no sway over my mind. And so it tried to suck away my soul...and...it hurt." The liquid purple eyes finally looked at Michiru, haunted and tortured.

And the worst part was..." the girl's voice had fallen to a whisper, and both Michiru and Haruka leaned in to hear her. "The woman reminded me of Mistress 9." They fell back as though they had been pushed back. A tear trickled down Hotaru's face, and Michiru reached out to wipe it away.

"The saints you mentioned, Hotaru. Is that all you know of them?" She artfully steered the topic away from Hotaru's frightening comparison. Hotaru shrugged.

"Yes...all I know of them is what the voice told me. They must be avatars of the stars." A muscle in Haruka's jaw began to pulse, and Michiru could tell that she wanted to discuss the other bits of Hotaru's dream.

"Please go back to sleep, dear," she requested, smoothing Hotaru's hair. "All will look better in the morning." There was a light of protestation in her eyes, but Hotaru turned, and left the room. Haruka barely waited for her to be out of ear shot before exploding.

"Mistress 9, Michiru?! Mistress 9?!" The blue haired woman said nothing. "And not only that, but a creature that can suck the souls of another, and that can influence someone in their dreams. What are we up against?!" Michiru walked over to where Haruka was sitting and fuming. Gently playing with the fine strands of hair, Michiru sighed.

"I don't know. We should be grateful that it _wasn't _able to influence Hotaru in the first place. Her will is strong enough to stand against this thing..." Haruka reached up and untangled Michiru's hand from her hair, and instead interlaced her fingers through Michiru's calloused digits.

"And saints? Cosmos? What does it all mean?!" Michiru shrugged, and smiled down at the disgruntled woman.

"You look to me for answers, Haruka, when I cannot give you any." Haruka shrugged in reply.

"Old habits die hard, I guess." Michiru laughed, windchimes on the wind.

"Then the only answer I can give you is that we can only wait, and see what happens. Warn the other girls to guard their minds carefully, and watch themselves.

"That's all we can do."


	6. Dévorer des Âmes

Awww....poor Shun, always treated like the baby. Eh, he'll get over it. Thanks Hoshimare, and Kybele! (psst! Get your friends to read it! Varied opinions! But do not worry, I still value yours over ALLLLLLL the rest! And I have so many other reviewers...) Thanks again guys! Alright, alright, we all know the drill...we all know what DOES NOT belong to Auten...namely, Saint Seiya and Sailor Moon.

Shun moodily sipped his lemonade, watching the passersby with remote interest. Ikki had forced him out of the estate, sending him out into the city with a pocket full of money, and a list of some things to pick up for the household. Without realizing it, Shun adopted a pouting face.

"Errand runner, is that all I am?" he muttered darkly to himself. "Jeez...they think I can't help with anything. Who was the one who spent a half hour with Seiya's knees digging into his ribcage?"

Standing abruptly, and throwing some change on the table for the tip, the andromeda saint stormed away from the outdoor café, feeling aggravated with the whole world. He looked up at the sky, and felt even more annoyed. It was the stars' fault; they were throwing everything off.

As he was making a mental list of all the things that the stars had caused to go wrong, he was suddenly on his rear end, looking at a small girl who was also on the ground, rubbing her head a wincing. The young man realized that he had run into her.

"Wow...I'm sorry," he said, standing and helping her up. He noticed that her hand was fragile and light...like, the same kind of delicacy that you find in a songbird. She shrugged, and dusted off her black skirt.

"It's no big deal...I should've been more careful," she replied, smiling at him, her eyes glowing brightly against her milky skin. Shun grinned warily.

"Yes...but I doubt that you were looking up at the sky while walking," he teased, picking up the books that still lay on the ground. One cover caught his attention, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"_Dévorer des Âmes..._Eater of Souls...? You read old French like this?" he asked, thumbing through the book. The girl nodded, looking a little uncomfortable.

"It's a school assignment," she remarked, holding out her arms for her books. Shun deposited the load into her fragile arms. She smiled at him, and shifted the stack to one arm, and she held out her hand to shake.

"My name is Tomoe Hotaru." Shun took it, admiring the liquid quality to her wide eyes.

"My name is Sh-" Ikki's face suddenly loomed in his mind, telling him to be careful. Though the Andromeda saint doubted that a girl who looked to be no more than fourteen would be a large threat, he elected to be careful. "Shinsadi Masami." She turned to peer down the street at oncoming traffic.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, but I am afraid that I must head home now."

"Would you like me to walk you home?" Her fragile looks had touched something deep in Shun, because he carefully took her books from her and rested them on his hip. "I'll carry them for you." Hotaru looked hesitant for a moment.

"Well...it is a long walk. Very well." She beamed at him. "Thank you very much, Masami." Shun shrugged modestly.

"It's nothing, really." She led him down the street where he had been sitting at the outdoor eatery, and then around the corner, chatting amicably about neutral topics, such as the weather, the tourists and that sort of thing.

They both jumped, however, as a yellow sports car suddenly squealed up to the curb, the window going down to reveal a very furious face.

"Hotaru!" the person snapped, green eyes burning at Shun. "Get in the car, now!" Shun felt his muscles tense, but Hotaru laid a gentle hand on his arms, and took her books.

"Thank you, Masami. But that is my adopted mother." At this, Shun did a double take...that was a woman?! "Have a good day." The small girl opened to door behind the driver's side, the woman glaring at Shun all the while. When Hotaru had settled herself, the woman stepped on the gas, and with yet another squeal pulled away from the curb, and sped off down the street.

The saint shrugged, and turned to go when he saw a slim, water stained book laying on the ground. Hotaru probably dropped the small novel, which was written in Japanese, titled, _"Legends of the Galaxy._" Shun slipped it into his pocket and headed back for the estate, eager to read the book resting in his back pocket.


	7. Tempers Rage

Thank you thank you Hoshimare! I always look forward to reading your reviews...they're so friendly! As for your friends, I have found that duck taping them to a chair really works wonders...haha just kidding. In here, Hotaru refers to Haruka as, "Haruka-mama" I know some use "Haruka-papa" or the Japanese form, but I want Haruka to be referred to as mama, and I really don't want to screw around with the Japanese. So, yeah, just so you know. Enjoy!

Michiru heard Haruka arrive with a squeal of tires and a rather loud slammed door. Moments later, the blonde stormed into the living room, where Michiru sat reading, positively radiating fury. Michiru set her book aside, and prepared to deal with Haruka's sometimes volatile temper.

"What happened?" she asked calmly, waiting patiently for Haruka to reply. Haruka took a deep breath, and unclenched her fists.

"Ask...Hotaru," she replied, the sounds super-articulated. Now Michiru felt a sort of horrid curiosity; what was it that the twelve year old child to enrage Haruka so? Michiru was about to ask, but Haruka had stomped out of the room, and into the back hallway, heading for the garage.

A loud roar from the motorcycle engine filled the air, as the racer streaked down the street.

"I must've really upset her," Hotaru commented, clutching some books to her chest. Michiru sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Let her alone to blow off steam, and then I will talk to her. But, really..." Michiru fixed the girl with a penetrating stare. "What did you do?" The slight child made her way to the coach, and curled up in one of the corners, her back tucked into the spot where the back of the coach met the arm.

"I was walking home, and she suddenly pulled up, and ordered me to get into the car." She recounted. She giggled suddenly. "Poor Masami...it looked as though he was so surprised that his face would fall off." The violinist's eyebrows rose.

"Masami? Who is Masami?" Hotaru shrugged, and went through her books.

"Shinsadi Masami...I ran into him accidentally on my way home, and he offered to carry my books and walk me home. He was quite nice..."

"Well...I know what you did, dear," Michiru said, her voice heavy. Hotaru looked up, her face interested. "Letting a stranger walk you home...it's no wonder that Haruka threw a fit. You need to be more careful."

"I can handle myself," Hotaru protested softly. Michiru shook her head.

"I thought that dream would be enough to make you more careful, Hotaru. You cannot trust anyone you do not know well. This...Masami...is a complete stranger, and who knows who he is." Hotaru frowned.

"I didn't sense any evil from him; in fact, I didn't sense any power coming from him at all." Michiru shook her head, then raised her hands to gather her hair into a ponytail.

"That doesn't mean anything at all, Hotaru and you know it." The slender girl said nothing, her eyes not on Michiru as she gently traced the binding of her books.

"I am sorry," she said finally, her finger pausing over faded lettering. "I am sorry, and I will be more careful...I promise." Michiru smiled warily, and tilted her head, eyes twinkling.

"And what will you do when Haruka returns?"

"I will also apologize to Haruka-mama," Hotaru replied heavily. Though Michiru did not press it, she could still tell that Hotaru felt that _she _was the wronged party. But the elder woman was willing to let it slide.

"Did you see my new painting?" Michiru inquired, breaking the silence. Hotaru turned to her, a small smile on her face.

"You did a new one? I didn't know that." Michiru stood, and gestured for Hotaru to follow.

"I just finished it yesterday. It's in the studio..." Mother and daughter froze, as an ill whisper penetrated their hearts.

"Trouble," murmured Michiru. She exchanged a glance with Hotaru, and five minutes later, they were screaming down the street, following the doom they felt in their hearts.


	8. Strain

Thanks for the review, Hoshimare! Ok, here I am assuming that unlike the sailor scouts, the saints cannot 'summon' their armor, like the sailors summon their fukus. But I could be wrong, as I have not gotten past episode 16 in the undubbed version. Anybody care to enlighten me?? Ah, and yes, yet again...Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya do not belong to me...tear

Ikki found it rather irksome, if you will, that the one moment where he wanted a quiet and solitary walk, he had to run into a disgusting...thing. And it certainly was disgusting; dripping with slime, it was hunched over, razor-sharp blades sprouting along its spine. Its face was squished in, and the squinty eyes narrowed at the phoenix after it had gotten over the initial shock from Ikki's kick.

The human it had been clutching in its claw was tossed easily aside as it advanced on Ikki. Now, hunched over the way it was, the thing only went up to Ikki's elbow.

"You're not so big, are you?" he taunted, ducking a disproportionately large hand that was aimed for his head. The thing bared its teeth, and hissed, before straightening up to its full height. "Spoke to soon," Ikki muttered as the monster rose a good two or three heads above his own.

"Dammit!" he muttered, narrowly missing a jet of slime shot from the thing's mouth. He readied himself for a punch when a stream of goo caught him off guard, and clung to his lower leg. He cried out sharply as the acrid smelling junk began to seep through his pants and burn his skin. He turned, gasping with pain, and almost began to cry with relief; he had nearly forgotten that there was a small lake behind him, the trail he had been walking on winding around the shore.

He quickly threw himself in the water, the slime actually smoking as it hit. When Ikki looked down at his calf, he saw that the cloth had been eaten away and a large, angry red welt was beginning to form. Wondering how long it would've taken for the slime to eat through his entire leg, a splash reminded him about the creature and that it was on a trajectory to kill him, as well as equipped with acid slime.

Ikki stood up quickly, and collapsed just as fast; his leg had gone numb, and wouldn't support his weight. The thing, on the other hand, reached out, and took the saint's neck in its hand, and the lifted him up, legs kicking up a spray off water, dangling in the same position he had found the schoolgirl in.

Ikki placed his own hands on the rough fingers and attempted to pry them apart, or at least break them, but all that he accomplished was a tighter grip on his throat. Cursing, Ikki squirmed in the choke-hold, and tried desperately to find a way to get the thing off.

It's slitted eyes opened wide, and Ikki glimpsed red flames dancing in the center. The phoenix was paralyzed, and his hands slowly dropped, and his legs ceased movement. It seemed like every beat of his heart was a struggle, that with every breath he took, his soul strained to be free.

His mind hazed, he watched the thing open its mouth not with disgust, but with mild interest. It was going to help him be free. Why, it wasn't such a bad thing after all, now was it? The saint glimpsed a woman standing behind the thing, her dark eyes triumphant, he felt his soul struggling even harder to be free of its mortal casing, and he felt the creature helping him, drawing him out of the body that was slowly decaying and into an eternity of blue sky and white clouds.

Just as his eyes were rolling back into his head, and he was surrendering his essence, a loud voice jolted him back to reality.

"Drop him, slime wad!" A slender woman stood silhouetted against the setting sun. Ikki felt very alert, but very exhausted, as if he had just fought a strenuous battle. The creature tossed him to the ground, where he crumpled on the soft grass, and made its way towards the woman, making soft snarling noises. She held up one arm, and allowed a ball of orange light to gather about her hand before clenching her fist.

"World...Shaking!" she bellowed, tossing the ball at the thing. The light tore a large rent in the ground as it sped towards the frozen monster. It shrieked horrendously as it was caught within the light, its body lifting off of the ground, and it's back arching as the ground around it trembled.

Then, with a simple poof, it was gone with a shower of dust and a piercing scream. Ikki was fighting to hold onto the last shreds of his consciousness as the woman first knelt over the school girl, and then over himself.

Her eyes were a dark green, bright and penetrating. She brushed a short piece of blond hair out of her eyes before smirking.

"You took a hit," she said, her voice deep. "But you're gonna pull through." With that, Ikki finally let go, and sank deep into a welcoming well of black sleep.


	9. Ill Tidings

Thanks Hoshimare! Yes, nasty creatures. And...does anyone else think that Haruka loves her car a little too much?? Once again, I do not own neither Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya.

A tall blond stood still amongst the shadows cast by the trees, watching as medics loaded two people onto stretchers and carried them into an ambulance. Convinced that they were in good hands, Haruka flipped her cell phone shut, and dropped it into her pocket, cutting through a copse of trees to reach the street.

As she was putting up the kickstand on her motorcycle, a yellow sports car screamed up to the curb. Never mind that Michiru was behind the wheel, looking worried. Never mind that Hotaru was in the passenger's seat looking grim. It was Haruka's car that was sitting on the edge of the street.

"What happened?!" Michiru demanded, hopping out, having apparently noticed the few shreds of Sailor Uranus' aura that hovered about Haruka. Haruka, however, was busy scanning the car for any dents, scratches or dust. "Haruka!" Michiru snapped, and slammed the door. Well, that definitely got her attention.

"Don't...slam...the...door..." Haruka said slowly, chiseling each sound. Michiru sighed heavily.

"It's a car, Haruka. A hunk of metal." The blond sniffed, and went to run her hands carefully over the frame.

"It is not just a car," she replied in a patronizing voice. "It is a delicate piece of machinery..." The other woman rolled her eyes, and Hotaru leaned over the seat, frowning.

"The danger, Michiru-mama?" she asked, reminding the blue-haired woman of why they had come in Haruka's precious car in the first place.

"Yes...Haruka, what happened? You transformed, didn't you?" Haruka shrugged, ready to dedicate her attention to Michiru now that she had completely assessed the current state of her car.

"Nothing...like the old days, really. A monster attacked two people in the park. I took care of the thing, and then anonymously called the medics to come pick them up...they were both out cold. And the guy had a pretty nasty acid burn on his leg."

"So...it's gone?" Haruka nodded.

"This one is, yes. But it struck me as the sort that has many brothers and sisters, if you get my meaning." Michiru sighed.

"But of course...the victims, though...what did it do to them?" Haruka's expression darkened. She had not liked what she had seen.

"When I got there, there was a girl passed out on the ground, and the thing had a guy in a choke hold a few feet off the ground. The guy looked like he was about to black out too, but I distracted the thing, and destroyed it. They'll both be okay...but it was kind of unsettling."

"This doesn't sound good," Hotaru commented, standing besides Michiru. "What if it had some control over their minds?" Haruka shifted her helmet from one hand to the other.

"If I am right, I suspect that we'll know enough of these things soon enough."


	10. Stolen Memories?

does tenth chapter review yaaay! Hmm...I know this is a bit long, but it gets through an important point. And...I took the liberty of awarding the saints with last names. I am going to work with the idea that the foundation awarded them with last names, even though they were orphans. I mean, you can't function in modern day society without last names. Apparently, they didn't know that in the 1980s. Well, anyway, we all know who Saint Seiya and Sailor Moon do not belong to...thanks for reviewing Hoshimare!!

Shiryu sat in the plastic chair, quiet and composed, waiting with his friends. The sterile air of the hospital tickled his nose, and the way everyone was hushed reminded him of when he himself had been admitted.

Seiya and Hyoga quietly immersed themselves in a game of cards, and Shun sat slumped in his chair, looking pale and exhausted, having been on the verge of hysterics ever since the hospital had called the Kido estate, informing them that an anonymous caller had summoned paramedics to a local park, where Ikki, and a young girl, were found laying unconscious.

Now, they were waiting to see Ikki, the doctors having asked them to let the phoenix saint sleep. They looked quite puzzled, Shiryu had noticed, when explaining Ikki's condition. He had somehow sustained an acid burn on his lower leg, bruising on his throat, and was unexplainably exhausted. Shiryu checked his watch; apparently, Ikki had been sleeping for four hours straight.

"He isn't awake yet." Shun said suddenly, darting a look at Shiryu. "You think...you think he's alright?" Shiryu smiled at the young saint and patted his arm.

"Of course he is; he's only tired, and as soon as he wakes up, we can go see him. Relax, Shun." Andromeda said nothing, and scrunched down deeper into his chair, a grim look on his face. Shiryu let his attention wander to where Hyoga and Seiya sat; Seiya looked rather put out as he eyed his cards, and then looked at Hyoga who was wearing his unreadable poker face. Mumbling, Seiya tossed a card down, and a little grin played on Hyoga's lips.

"The immediate family of Ikki Douhouai may go in now," a nurse announced, reading off her clipboard. Shun was up in a flash, and at her side, demanding how to get to Ikki's room. Once he got the directions, he was gone down the hall.

"Consider yourself lucky, Ponyboy," Hyoga said, throwing down his cards. "A little longer, and I would've killed you." Seiya frowned, looking at Hyoga's cards.

"You wouldn't have!" he protested. "I could've worked my way around that!" The swan smirked, and stood.

"Sure..." Hyoga's penetrating blue eyes looked over at Shiryu, who was watching them dispassionately. "So how long do you think Shun will be in there?" Shiryu stood as well, and straightened his mandarin jacket.

"When the time is right, he will get us," Shiryu replied patiently. Seiya toyed with the cell phone Saori had given him.

"Should I call her now...or wait till afterwards?"

"After...that way we can tell her about Ikki's condition," Shiryu answered. Seiya shrugged and put the cell back in his pocket. Moments later, Shun came down the hall, eyes sparkling and a large grin on his face.

"Ikki's fine...you can all go see him now," he told them, somewhat breathlessly. The others smiled as well, infected by Shun's obvious excitement and relief. When they all entered the brightly lit room, Ikki was sitting up, looking bored. When he saw them, he smirked.

"Don't tell me you were all so worried about me," he teased. "Eh, duck?" Hyoga rolled his eyes.

"I am not going to reply as you are the one in the hospital gown." Ikki made a face at the saint, and turned his attention to Shiryu, who was silently contemplative.

"What's up, Shiryu?" The dragon looked at Ikki for a moment before replying.

"What happened to you Ikki?" A strange look passed over the phoenix's face, before he turned to the window.

"Nothing...it was just...come toxic waste. Burned me, and the fumes knocked me and that girl out." The saints all knew that that was not the truth...or at least, not the whole truth. They all looked apprehensively at the man who stared stonily at the outside world.

"And the bruising on your throat?" Shiryu pressed gently. Ikki did not look away from the window.

"I was clutching it...the fumes burned something awful..." he looked back at them, looking like the regular, arrogant, bored Ikki. "They even found some of the stuff near that lake I was walking by. Someone dumped it illegally." The others all exchanged looks, and Ikki cocked his head to the side.

"What? Why don't you believe me?" Shun stepped forward.

"We believe you, Ikki. It's just hard to imagine someone dumping acid waste in a park like that." Ikki snorted.

"You're telling me! When I find the bastard who did it, I'll knock his brains out!" As they picked up on another subject, Shriyu remained silent, debating on whether or not they were getting the true story. Ikki seemed to believe it, anyhow. But...it seemed almost reminiscent of Seiya's dream; the same sort of...removal of memory...

Pushing his suspicions from his mind, Shiryu joined in the conversation almost half-heartedly, his mind still pondering


	11. Damper

Holy cripes, this is a long one! But....a good one. Hmm...Kihou, for those who do not know, means 'bubble' or 'air' a kind of tease about Minako's fluffiness...And...thank you Hoshimare...and I think that is it...well...I am not going to repeat the disclaimer, if you are absolutely dying to read it, go read a previous chapter...

Aino Minako skipped cheerfully down the street, convinced that the day could not get any better than it already was. She had no homework to ruin her weekend, she had a whole host of activities lined up for Saturday, and she was positive that a certain captain of the soccer team had been checking her out in math. Life was, indeed, good.

She paused as she passed a shop window, reading the poster that had been hung up in the window. Seconds later, she was squealing, and leaping up and down.

"Oh my gosh! A chance to audition for NG records! And win the chance to be signed as an artist!" That cemented it; it had to be the greatest day of her life.

"I wouldn't get too excited, if I were you...everyone knows that those contests are damn near impossible to win." A cool voice broke into her elated thoughts, and Minako turned to see a blonde guy looking down at her in amusement, his pale blue eyes twinkling.

"How would you know?" she demanded, annoyed that this stranger thought he could just waltz up and steamroll her dreams. "Have you ever entered one of these contests?" The boy shrugged, and nodded at the poster.

"Imagine your chances...one out of...how many young aspiring popstars will be trying out for this?" Minako made a face, valiantly dismissing the little thought that had wormed its way into her head, and turning back to gaze starry eyed at the poster.

"I could make it...I will make it!" she declared triumphantly. Her companion looked less than impressed.

"I'm sure that if you are looking for someone to poke a hole in your bubble, than yes, you will accomplish that. Besides...I thought everyone was over the pop chick sensation...aren't they looking for someone a little more...hardcore?" Minako's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Are you trying to suggest that I am not hardcore?" He shrugged, and smirked. Minako was hard pressed to ignore the nice contrast that his pale eyes and hair made with his dusky skin.

"Of course not...I barely know you after all." She cheerfully stuck out her hand, and smiled brightly.

"Aino Minako...better get used to it, you'll be hearing it a lot!" she winked at him. He slowly took her hand, and Minako repressed a shiver; he was freezing!

"Hakuchou Hyoga. It's a pleasure meeting you." Minako opened her mouth to saw something to the same effect, when a loud meow came from somewhere above her head. Without warning, Artemis had thrown himself down into her arms, and was busy appraising Hyoga.

"This is Artemis," she announced, holding him out in all of his cuteness. "Artemis, this is Hakuchou...he was shooting down my dreams of becoming an up and coming teen pop idol." The cat mewled, and shot a look similar to agreement at Hyoga.

"Well..." he began. Minako noted how pleasant his gravelly voice sounded. "I have got to be going...things to do, people to see, places to go...the whole bit."

"It was nice meeting you, Hakuchou." She replied automatically, picking up her satchel, which had fallen to the ground when Artemis had decided to play Kitty Olympics.

"Ditto," he said, turning away. "See you around...Kihou..." Minako flushed bright red, mostly with anger.

"Artemis...did you...did you hear that?!" she demanded between clenched teeth. "Kihou...he called me Kihou!"

"I think he likes you," Artemis replied slyly, tail twitching. Minako began to stomp away, her mood ruined by the hotshot who had just called her a bubble. Artemis, during the interim, had leapt out of her arms, and with a short farewell, was gone...probably chasing something or other.

"Kihou...who does he think he is?" she muttered. "We just met, and he assumes that it's okay to call me Kihou...I'll show him Kihou, with a side of Love Me Chain." Minako made a turn down a rather deserted alleyway that cut put onto her street saving her from having to walk around the entire end of the block.

It was then that she knew that something was not right. She tensed immediately, but a hand suddenly closed around her throat, and she was pressed up against the wall. Minako tried to scream, but all she managed was a weak cry. A finger stole up to trace her cheek bone.

"Child of light..." a voice simpered, the finger lingering on her face. "Child of light...do you ever despair of it all?" Minako struggled, determined not to listen to the voice. But for all her efforts, she was just pressed against the rough brick harder, the uncomfortable surface scraping her skin through her uniform.

"Let me...go," she murmured. But thing (for Minako was convinced that it was not human) did not let go.

"Do you ever grow weary of the light...ever wish to stray away into the dark night..." Minako made a sound akin to that of a strangled kitten. Two eyes burned through the pitch black alley (when had it become so dark?!) Black flames danced, and Minako felt dizzy...

"Soothing darkness," it purred, eyes widening. "Velvety, dark, comforting darkness. You are alone..."

_I am _always _alone_, her mind suddenly wailed.

"Oh...but it in the darkness, it's so much nicer to be alone. Don't you feel it, child?" Minako felt weak...her body slumped against the wall, her eyes still on the burning ones of whatever it was that was holding her. "The bitterness is choking you already," it commented, sounding observant and detatched. "It won't be long...until then, you must hold this..." something flashed in the meager light. "...close to your heart. And when you are ready, Circe will be waiting for you..."

Minako shrieked and twisted as something icy cold was forced into her chest just below her collar bone, right above her heart. It was sharp and unyielding, and it went farther into her skin until her captor made a satisfied snort...

'The light...it's back..." Minako observed in a dazed sort of way. She was sitting on the ground, back against the wall. She frowned and looked at her watch.

"Oh, no...I am so late..." shaking herself, she stood and reached for her satchel. "I have really got to stop sitting around and day dreaming...and in alleys of all places! I am starting to get just like Usagi..."

But just as the blonde was about to step out of the alley, she could've sworn she heard low laughter. She whipped around, but no one was there. Her hand reaching up to massage an area directly below her collar bone, she left...feeling bothered for some reason.


	12. Mistress

Holy Beezlebub, it's ANOTHER long one...they may be getting longer because I am starting to develop the plot a little more...now that I have an idea of what I am actually going to do! ;) Thanks Kybele...about the setting thing...yea, I knew that. I totally knew that it was like that...uhm...okay, everyone who wanted to review anonymously, I am REALLY sorry...I didn't even know that there was a setting like that...go figure. So, now you may review...and wish that a piece of ceiling falls down on Auten's head during the hurricane. Ho hum, we know what doesn't belong to Auten, but now...there IS something that belongs to Auten! And that is Circe and her minions!! Yay!

"Correct me if I am wrong." She felt her voice roll from her mouth, cold and magnificent. "But you choose to install the Darkness in the one who controls love and light?" The thing that looked like a woman, but wasn't, fell to her knees.

"O, Mistress...she was choked full of anger and bitterness. The shard will draw it to an it. I assure you, she was the right choice." Circe stared down at the huddling woman-form, whose blue hair fell in waves about her slender form.

"Very well, Gyakusetsu...but if your plan fails, then I may be forced to remove you from the elite." Her creation stood, and bowed shakily before leaving the room. Circe sighed heavily; Gyakusetsu and her damn paradoxes! There was going to come a time when that Soul-Eater was going to be a rather large liability.

Resolving to keep a closer eye on Gyakusetsu, Circe summoned a mirror from her throne. It appeared in the inky blackness, the silver surface flashing. Circe smiled when she beheld her reflection in the mirror; flawless alabaster skin covering a delicate face set with two wide, violet eyes.

But she soon banished her reflection, lovely as it was, and called upon another domain. The mirror filled with blackness, feeling never ending but at the same time, enclosing. And there it paced, restless and angry...the moment it sensed her, it lurched against the wall of its prison. Circe however, brushed a finger over the mirror surface, and it quieted for a moment, knowing that it was _her_, she who promised its release.

"Not enough souls have been gathered yet," Circe told it, slowly, as if she were considering the information. "The underworld souls have merely served to keep your energy level up. But, there are powers here, in Japan. Powers which when combined, would be enough to break your walls." It hissed.

"Be patient," Circe replied, touching her chin with an index finger. "Be patient. The one called Gyakusetsu installed one of your scales in the human whose aura burns with light and love. Feed her your hatred and your anger, and she will be a willing tool." It writhed with pleasure and Circe herself grinned. "I am the sorceress who found the records, and the spells. I am the sorceress who made new to replace the old. And I am the sorceress who will free you so that the world will fall beneath a blanket of still and silence, for the human race is a brutality not to be allowed to survive."

Her laughter, cold and hard as its scales, echoed throughout her throne room.

The somewhat disgruntled member of the Elite collapsed in a chair, and signaled for the bartender to get her a drink...preferably a large one.

"How did your mission go?" A smooth voice inquired behind her. Gyakusetsu waved an arm weakly, not looking at the speaker.

"It went fine...but Mistress is doubtful of my choice." The drink arrived from the faceless barman, and Gyakusetsu took an eager swig. The voice behind her chuckled dryly.

"You never could resist a paradox, could you?" Ginnezudesu sat besides her, tossing his long mane of silvery hair behind his shoulders. When the bartender turned to him, he shook his head slightly, and instead turned to Gyakusetsu.

"What?" she asked, after taking another sip of her drink. "No beverage for this evening, Ginne?" He shrugged.

"Not in the mood for one...but, really, Gya, whom did you put the Shard in?" She sighed heavily.

"I found this human girl whose aura is full of love and light." Ginnezudesu was a little too shocked to reply. "And yet, she was full of bitterness...and anger. She is the perfect host for the Shard." The silvery soul-eater shook himself.

"And if your paradox fails?" Gyakusetsu did not reply, but took a heavy draught from the glass. "Just as I thought...well, Gya, you know that we'll help you keep an eye on it. After all, humans are _easy_ to corrupt. I am sure that the one you picked will be no exception." Gyakusetsu smiled weakly at him in thanks.

The Elite always felt a bond amongst one another; they were the only ones of their kind, and so they always felt that it was their responsibility to watch out for one another.

"I'm back! Who missed me?!" A lovely soul eater that resembled a teenage girl bounced in the room, a large smile on her face. Clutched in her hand was a small prism.

"What plague are you besetting upon Tokyo today, Kuro?" Kuroyuri pouted at him, before brandishing the prism.

"Well, since the Ahshiddokiba was such a miserable failure, I thought I'd try a Debirufaia...they're more intelligent, I think." Gyakusetsu frowned.

"Where'd you get that idea?" she asked sourly. "They're all on the same intelligence level...namely, zero." Kuroyuri beamed.

"Yes, but Mistress upgraded Debirufaia...she said that Ahshiddokiba was too easily destroyed, and that whatever destroyed it was probably still wandering around Tokyo."

"So this one is harder to destroy?" Ginnezudesu asked, sounding extremely interested. Kuroyuri seated herself next to him, and asked sweetly for a glass of water before replying.

"No, Ginne...it's just smarter; it'll dodge attacks, and the like, instead of standing there and being annihilated." The silver soul eater shrugged.

"Just so long as it works, I suppose we're fine," he replied. "Oh, and we need to keep an eye on the human Gya put the Shard in." Kuroyuri cocked her head to the side, and looked across Ginnezudesu at the pale haired soul eater staring rather stonily at the bar.

"Why's that, Gya? What do we need to do?"

"Just make sure that the human gets enough persuasion, you know...we need to make it miserable." Ginnezudesu answered smoothly. Kuroyuri grinned.

"Oh, that'll be fun! But...will Mistress permit it?" Being the youngest of the Elite, Kuroyuri was still concerned about clearing everything with Mistress.

"Of course she will," he replied, gently patting her on the head.

The Elite had to stick together. They were the only ones of their kind.


	13. Crossings

Auten sucks at fight scenes, yes indeedy. But, you cannot have senshi and saints in the same story without fight scenes, so I suppose we will have to pt up with it. I know Haruka does not smoke in the anime, but she seems like the smoking type, doesn't she!? Thanks for reviews and...yes, the disclaimer I do not own Saint Seiya or Sailor Moon...promise.

Tenoh Haruka took a rather long drag on her cigarette, before exhaling and gazing at the passersby in a rather contemplative way. Michiru coughed rather loudly from behind her book, but Haruka ignored it.

"If you like, I can always summon a wind to carry it away...so your delicate senses are not offended," she said out loud, not looking at her companion, but instead, watching the sky.

"It's not my senses I'm worried about," Michiru replied coolly, still not lifting her gaze from her book. Haruka snorted, and knocked some ash into the ashtray.

"The wind has been blowing the wrong way all day...what do you make of it?" Michiru, knowing that Haruka would not leave her in peace until she gave the tenacious blond all of her attention, sighed and set aside her book.

"Something's brewing...and it'll probably come to a head very soon."

"I'll say," Haruka muttered. "Well, while we are waiting for the imminent danger, would you care to-" But her invitation was cut off as a thin scream echoed from the other side of a street. Panicked shouts greeted it, and it seemed as though there was a sudden mass exodus of people fleeing the area.

Haruka stood immediately, and saw a wraith-like creature, thin, humanoid, and black. Fire danced along its hands, head, and lower legs. Shooting a knowing glance at Michiru they both ran down the alleyway, and ducked behind the café they had been sitting outside of moments before.

"Uranus Crystal Power, Make-Up!"

"Neptune Crystal Power, Make-Up!" The world trembled pleasurably about Haruka as her fuku molded itself to her strong and supple body, flashing gold and navy blue.

Sailor Uranus fell lightly to the ground with a click of heels, Sailor Neptune having finished moments before. They shot out of the alleyway to greet the creature; the outer senshi did not need to talk. Having worked so long together, they could work fluidly and seamlessly together without any communication.

"Deep Submerge!" Neptune roared, sending a blue globe spinning at the flaming thing. It _ack_ed, and sprung out of the way as the globe sped past where it once stood. When it was convinced that it had maneuvered its way out of danger, it sent back at them strings of flames.

"Well," Uranus remarked, on her knees from avoiding the blow. "I think this one...is smarter." Neptune chose not to reply, but sent another Deep Submerge flying at the creature. Chuckling, it ducked this attack too.

"World Shaking!" Uranus cried, trying her own attack, and finding that the thing eluded it just as easily. It spit some more fire at them before leaping up and perching on a lamppost.

"We'll need to distract it," Neptune said, breathing heavily. Two attacks in quick succession had tired her out. The thing hissed from it vantage point, and Uranus glared at it before shrugging at her partner.

"Are you volunteering?" But before the two senshi could decide who was who, a great tower of flames broke through the pavement at Uranus' feet. Swallowing a shriek as her exposed skin was uncomfortably burned, she threw herself backwards.

When the smoke from the sudden fire had cleared, Uranus saw that the creature had Neptune in the same position that the other one had had the man in the other day; the senshi of water dangled over the street, clawing at the hand clenched uncomfortably about her neck.

A wave of intense fury swept over the senshi of the heavens, and she snarled as a sheathed sword materialized in her hands. She pulled out the Space Sword, and willed it to be as hard and as sharp as it possibly could.

Uttering a wordless cry, Uranus began to sprint towards the flaming creature, who held a sluggishly moving Sailor Neptune.

"Space Sword....Bl-"

"The Rising Dragon!" Uranus once again threw herself in reverse as a great towering dragon made of...water?...hurtled towards the creature, a man visible in the middle of it.

The creature shrieked pitifully and dropped Sailor Neptune, its body dissolving in the powerful blow. Uranus ducked in, and scooped up Sailor Neptune, and darted back down the alley.

Neptune moaned, and her fuku dissolved, leaving Michiru in civilian clothing, her eyes rolling in her head. Uranus released her own fuku, but continued running down the street. As much as she wanted to see the owner of the dragon blow, she didn't want to chance it being another enemy, especially with Michiru in the state that she was currently in.


	14. Musings and Pillows

Hihi, all! Thank you for reviews! They are, believe it or not, appreciated. Ahh yes, we all love Ikki. And Seiya is such a blockhead. I am not going to bother repeating the disclaimer.

Ikki shot his younger brother a speculative look from his vantage point sprawled on the sofa. Shun was curled up in a large armchair on the other side of the room, quietly absorbed in his reading material, a slim, water spotted book.

Unbeknownst to him, Ikki was debating the pros and cons of chucking a pillow at baby brother to check out the reaction. Hell, it was better than sitting there, just staring at the squirt. The phoenix slowly picked up the throw pillow, and lowered his arm, getting ready to perfect his aim. Once he was sure that the pillow's trajectory would take it on a direct route to Shun's head, Ikki was about to release his muscles when...

"Guys! You gotta hurry up!" Ikki squawked and Shun jumped as Seiya burst into the room, making that brand of raucous and noise-making that belonged to specially him.

"God DAMMIT Seiya, what the hell is your problem?!" Ikki demanded, severely annoyed that his delicate plans to liven up Shun's day were, in a word, destroyed.

"What's wrong, Seiya?" Shun asked calmly, setting aside his book. Though his tone belied that he was not startled by Seiya's graceless entry, his eyes made it look as though he too were tempted to rattle off a few choice words.

"Shiryu's encountered this...this _thing_!" He cried, running across the room, and hauling Shun up by the arm. The green haired saint yelped, and tried to free himself from Seiya's grip, and Ikki burrowed into the cushions, praying that Seiya would not try to get him moving next; his leg still hurt something awful, and if Seiya so much as came near him, he would not take responsibility for any of the consequences.

"Relax, Seiya," Hyoga entered next, looking utterly unconcerned. "Shiryu just called; he took care of it." Seiya dropped Shun's arm rather unceremoniously, causing the andromeda saint to stumble slightly.

"Man! Why didn't Shiryu wait for me?" he whined. Ikki and Shun glared at him, both of them feeling annoyed that the saint had actually ruined the quiet of their afternoon for nothing. Well, that was Shun's reason, at least. Ikki was annoyed that his pillow fight plan had been ruined for nothing.

"Probably because Shiryu wanted it taken care of before you showed up, Seiya," Ikki snapped, resettling himself on the couch. Shun reclaimed his seat, and watched the exchange with wide eyes.

"I'll let that slide, you roasted chicken, considering your invalid status and all," Seiya shot back. Ikki's eyes narrowed; why that little snot...!

"Watch it, ponyboy. I have no doubts that I could kick your ass without both legs!" Seiya crossed his arms.

"Oh, really? Let's see it then." It was then that Hyoga broke in, showing slightly more sense than the other two saints.

"Knock it off. Ikki needs to heal, Seiya, so leave him alone and stop antagonizing him." Seiya made a face at the phoenix, but said nothing. Ikki sighed loudly, and reclined.

"What happened with Shiryu, Hyoga?" Shun inquired, before his brother could egg anyone on.

"There was a creature attacking civilians...it was quite easy to take care of, actually." Shiryu's concise tones broke into the conversation. "I never saw anything like it before, though..." Ikki quirked an eyebrow.

"Is that all...? Jesus, Seiya made it sound like the freaking world was going to end." Seiya frowned at Ikki. Shiryu shrugged impassively.

"Two people were fighting it before I got there, however," he added thoughtfully. "They seemed quite strong." Hyoga snorted.

"If they were strong, then they would've taken care of the thing already." Shiryu shrugged philosophically.

"Appearances are not necessarily indicators of strength." A thoughtful silence settled in the room. Until Seiya ruined it by opening his big mouth.

"Pssht! Definitely NOT! I mean...lookit Shun!" Ikki had found this an excellent opportunity to launch his pillow not at his brother, but at the blockhead commonly referred to as Seiya. And the pillow fight ensued, chasing from their minds the lingering thoughts of whatever it was that Shiryu had encountered.


	15. Woman in a Lab Coat

Who is that strange woman in the lab coat? Erm...yeah, ignore that. Goman nasai, minna...I am sorry I didn't post last night...I wanted to, but Auten had one hell of a headache. Anywho...thank you for reviews...Cadbury, did you just start reading it, or have you been following it?? What d'ya think? Remember, all....if you have any questions, comments or concerns...lemme know!

Minako sat silently on a park swing, her eyes dark as she massaged her collar bone. Her wonderful (read; awful) day had begun with algebra class, and a crushing rejection by the soccer team captain and ended with a truck-load of homework, and a splitting headache. And then there was the matter of the strange numbness on her chest that was slowly spreading to her shoulders.

The blonde leaned her head on the swing's chain, and shut her eyes; her head _hurt_. Absently kicking her satchel, which was abandoned in the dust, she willed the ache to go away. As a matter of fact, she willed the world to go away and leave her in piece so she could figure what the hell was wrong with her.

"Do you have a headache?" A kindly voice asked from behind her. Minako opened her eyes and wearily turned around to face a lovely woman whose pale green eyes where currently fixed on her own with concern.

"As a matter of fact...yes, I do," Minako replied, with some incredulity. "How...how did you know?" The woman gracefully stepped over and sat down on the swing adjacent to Minako's.

"Fellow sufferer," she replied, tapping her temple. "I have some medication here, if you would like...?" She opened the small handbag that hung from her shoulder, and produced a small, smoky bottle. Minako considered her warily.

"You're not some sort of drug dealer who prays on innocent people with headaches, are you?" she asked. The woman chuckled, and brandished the bottle.

"Of course not...the prescription is right here on the bottle, if you want to check. I just feel empathetic, as I know exactly what you are going through. Go on, take two capsules." Although it was against Minako's better judgment to take prescription pills from a person she didn't even know, she held out her hand. Her head was killing her.

"Thanks," the blonde said weakly after swallowing the pills. The woman shrugged and gave her a little smile, while pushing her hair off of her shoulders. Her hair was fascinating really; it was a shimmery pink, darker highlights flashing in the late afternoon sun.

"Just out of curiosity...why are you sitting here all by yourself?" Minako sighed heavily, and leaned her head on the chain again.

"Oh, you know...bad day," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant. The woman nodded feverishly.

"Oh, I know it!" she replied. "My boss was in such a killer mood today...it was like a cloud was hovering over the whole damn office!" Minako frowned.

"Where do you work?" The woman flipped her hand dismissively.

"Psychologists office...the doctor was _murderous _today, and I chose today to screw up his files. Can you believe it? And then, I caught my boyfriend with my colleague!" In spite of herself, Minako felt a sort of comradeship with the woman. They both seemed to have been hit with bad luck's hammer.

"Ooo I totally understand where you're coming from!" Minako replied. "I had algebra with the most evil woman on the planet-" at this, the woman's lips picked up in a small smirk, "-and the guy I liked rejected me today. I mean, could life get any worse?" The woman slumped in her swing.

"I suppose so...but it sure as hell doesn't seem like it." They both fell into silence for a moment. Suddenly she rose with a yelp, her wrist with her watch cocked.

"Oh, God, I was supposed to be at the office a half hour ago!" she cried, eyes wide in panic. She smiled down at Minako and patted her shoulder lightly.

"It probably could get worse, dear; moping over it won't get us any where. Doesn't stop it from being a bugger, now does it?" With that she took off, the white lab-coat that Minako had just noticed flaring out behind her.

Minako frowned, feeling troubled. Normally, it would've felt better to tell someone-even a stranger-about her troubles. But, oddly enough, she felt even worse than before.

Trying to conjure a picture of the woman in her head, she was deeply disturbed when all she could come up with was a long mane of lovely hair. And, she had just realized that she didn't get a name either.

Feeling extremely creeped out, Minako picked up her satchel and began to walk home at a hurried pace, wondering all the while if that had been a real person


	16. Schemes

Oooo they're scheming! What happens next? Nobody knows...and I do mean that nobody knows; I have no clue. Thank you Kybele and Hoshimare!! Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya are property of Naoko Takeuchi and Masami Kuramada. But all the villains are MINE. MINEY MINE MINE!

"Humans are _so _trusting!" Kuroyuri peeked over Gyakusetsu's shoulder. The Elite Soul Eater quirked an eyebrow at her comrade, but did not reply. "I mean...you'd _think _the girl would've learned a thing or two by now!" Gyakusetsu sighed, and massaged her forehead.

"Kuroyuri...please stop babbling. You're giving me a headache." The pretty little creature pouted, and sat down besides the pink-haired soul eater.

"You're _mean_, Gya!" She wailed.

"Yes."

"Very, very mean, in fact. So, in apology, you're going to let me wear your human clothes."

"No."

"GYA! You're downright CRUEL!"

"Yes."

"So...you won't let me wear your human wardrobe?"

"Kuroyuri..."

"Yes?" The dark-haired one adopted a hopeful expression. The pale haired one smirked.

"Thy art genius, so thou art." Kuroyuri released a pained cry, and buried her head in her arms. Gyakusetsu rolled her eyes. "You know, Kuroyuri...throwing a tantrum is not going to bring in any souls. And Mistress grows agitated. The soul eaters are not working out." Kuroyuri did not look up.

"Oh, stop being such a human!" Gyakusetsu said in disgust. Well...that roused the youngest. Kuroyuri's head flew up and she glared at Gyakusetsu.

"Stop being a _what_?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Ginnezudesu appeared in a whirl of silvery light, a frown on his face.

"Ginne!" squealed Kuroyuri. Gyakusetsu merely sighed, the tassels of her costume sliding over her belly as she shifted.

"How kind of you to grace us with your presence, Ginne," she said dryly. He shrugged, the plates on his shoulders clinking together.

"Mistress says that _we _must gather the souls now. Since the soul eaters have failed, we are to pick up the slack." Kuroyuri looked confused.

"But, Ginne...how can we gather the amount that Mistress needs?" Ginnezudesu shrugged, and shot a look at Gyakusetsu.

"Mistress says that entrenched in Tokyo is a large host of...super humans, if you will."

"Super humans, Ginne?" Gyakusetsu inquired. He nodded.

"Yes...super humans whose souls burn bright and powerful. Actually, Gyakusetsu...your..._advocate_, if you will, is a super human. Anyway, if we could gather a quartet of these super human souls, it would be more than enough for Mistress."

"Where do we find these super humans?" Kuroyuri demanded, pulling on Ginnezudesu's arm.

"We set the bait, and then we wait," he replied coolly, his warrior's face sliding into place. "These super humans like to help the weaker ones of their kind. And in the meantime, we can gather regular souls." Kuroyuri looked faintly predatory and even Gyakusetsu felt more than a little excited.

After all, they were Elite Soul Eaters. And their purpose was to steal the souls of humanity. How could they not be excited? They were carrying out their most adored duty; the simple and exhilarating pleasure of reaching into a human's chest, and ripping from them their soul. All of the Elite shivered with delight; they were all imagining the warmth of a flickering human soul clenched in their fists.

"When do we leave?" Kuroyuri asked, somewhat breathlessly. Ginnezudesu smirked.

"Now. Oh...and by the way, Gya...when do you plan on relieving your disciple of her soul?" Gyakusetsu thought for a moment, trying to gauge the strength of the girl's emotions.

"Soon...but the foundation is not fully finished yet, but the Shard is certainly doing its part; she becomes more bitter and angry every day. As soon as she is full of misery, we will take her soul...I doubt she'll even notice it missing."


	17. Awakening

Thanks Cadbury! If you have any questions about Saint Seiya (like, if I make a reference about something, and you have no idea what I am talking about), make sure you ask, as it probably can get quite confusing. This is my first time really writing about Haruka and Michiru, but they are one of my fave sailor moon couplesâeven though I picked up on it way after the series was taken off the air, because of the stupid, flipping dub! Ahem. AnywaysâI dunno, doesn't Haruka seem like the smoking type to you? I can see her smokingâThanks to Hoshimare, as always. Hmmâit is like, massive amnesia, or something

Haruka pressed a cool cloth to Michiru's head, and frowned. She had slept for days now, her face pale and silent. Her skin was warm to the touch, and damp. Haruka had been keeping her vigil since she dragged Michiru home. And there was no change.

Hotaru entered, carrying a bowl of soup on a tray. Setting it down, the child kneeled next to Michiru, and pressed a hand to her forehead. She looked questioningly at Haruka, who shook her head. _No change_.

"I brought you some soup, Mama," Hotaru said, gesturing at the tray. "If you're going to stay here until Michiru wakes up, you'll need some nourishment." Haruka unfolded her body, having been tucked away in the corner next the Michiru's bed, and reached for the food, while smiling wearily at Hotaru.

"Thanks." Hotaru sighed and looked towards Michiru. She rose, and walked to the window, looking out at the city in a melancholy sort of way.

"I hope she wakes up soon, Mama," she said in her low voice. "We cannot go on without Michiru." Haruka joined her, Hotaru absently noting the power surrounding the avatar of the heavens.

"She will," Haruka said firmly, pressing her hand to Hotaru's shoulder. "She will wake up, soon."

"I hope so"

"Oh, GodâI have got the _worst _headacheâI haven't had one of these in years." Both whirled around from the windowsill to see Michiru propped up on her elbows, massaging her head.

"Michiru" Haruka murmured, and feel to her knees besides the bed, and reached out to hesitantly touch her face.

"What's wrong, Haruka? You look like someone you know has died, and then come back." She inquired in her sweet way, reaching up to cover the blonde's hand with her own.

"That was what we feared, Michiru-mama," Hotaru explained, standing behind Haruka. Michiru frowned a bit, and looked from Haruka, who was currently beyond words, to Hotaru.

"What do you mean? And whyâwhy is it daylight? I've never slept in this much."

"Michiru-mama, two days ago, Haruka-mama brought you home in a semi-conscious state. You have not awakened since then." It seemed to have dawned on her, her face softening as she put together what had happened. Her hand tightened on Haruka's, and she smiled gently at her partner.

"Yesâthe fire. It was awful. I must've been hit awfully hard on the head, hmm?" Hotaru's eyebrows flew up_the fire_?!?

"TheâfireâMichiru, what are you talking about?!" Haruka demanded, peering more closely at Michiru. Michiru rewarded Haruka with a taken-aback look.

"Whyâthe fire, Haruka, the one we had to put out as senshi?" Her tone was slow and patient, and she was giving Haruka a strange look.

"What do you remember from the fire, Michiru-mama?" Hotaru asked softly, before Haruka could reply. Michiru shrugged, trying to recollect.

"We were sitting at that outdoor café, and then we heard screams. There was a large fire down the street, and so we transformed to fight it, since the firefighters had yet to arrive. And thenâI got hit on the head." Haruka looked utterly disgusted, and she had drawn back from Michiru, leaving a little less than an arm's length between them, her hand still pressed to her partner's face.

"Since _when _are we firefighters?!" She demanded, rather loudly. Michiru looked slightly injured.

"Well, they needed help and" Her voice faltered, and she winced, pressing her free hand to her temple.

"What's wrong?!" The blonde asked sharply, leaning in towards Michiru, whose eyes were screwed shut.

"Nothingâjust my head" she whispered. The indignant look dropped off of Haruka's face, replaced with one of great concern.

"MichiruâI-"

"Michiru-mama, Haruka-mama and I will leave you to rest. We'll bring you some aspirin in a bit, okay?" Michiru nodded, and opened her eyes a tad. Smiling, she brought Haruka's hand to her lips, before letting go, and burrowing beneath her covers.

"Thank you," she whispered, shutting her eyes, and almost instantly dropped off to sleep. Hotaru guided her adopted mother from the room, and once she had shut the door behind her, she gave her guardian a kind of hopeless look.

"I know" Haruka whispered, pulling her daughter to her chest. "I knowâbut we'll find out why this is happening, and we'll stop it. You, me, and the Inners. We'll stop it, I promise." Hotaru sighed heavily, and inhaled Haruka's scent, a mixture of cigarette smoke, and plumeria, trying to lull herself into a sense of comfort.

"I hope soâI hope so"


	18. First to Fall

Hmm...one super human soul down, three to go. Thanks for the review, Hoshimare. But....if you didn't know what happened to you, how would you know to hate that you didn't know what had happened? Eugh...my head hurts. Disclaimer, please refer to first chapter. Thank you.

Hyoga kept his strides equal to that of Seiya as they both sped down the road, their boots making a metallic sound as they hit the pavement. This time, they were ready; a call had come in from one of the Foundation's agents, evenly distributed throughout the city. This time, there was a report of three people in odd dress appearing within a full, out-door auditorium, and causing the civilians to faint.

The Cygnus saint slowed as they neared the site; there was dead silence, which was rather eerie as he had been present when the call had come in, and the background had been full of anguished screams.

They silently approached at Hyoga's signal, listening intently. A woman's giggle broke the silence. Seiya pressed himself against the cement wall, while Hyoga peered around the entrance and into the auditorium.

"Look at all the souls!" Hyoga felt slightly ill; the place was littered with bodies, some slumped over, some sprawled on the ground. Whatever the case, they were definitely not moving. The only moving things where the two figures on the stage.

The woman who had squealed bounced excitedly on her toes. The man standing near her quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. Another woman sauntered out onto the stage where they all stood. She wore what could be best described as a belly dancer's costume; her skin was darker than the pale woman, but lighter than the dusky skin tone of the man. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, and his silvery eyes darted right to where Hyoga stood.

"It looks, he said, voice echoing in the empty space, "As though we have some company. Do come out, as it useless hiding when your opponent knows where you stand." Seiya charged out from behind Hyoga and threw out his chest, ready to condemn all of them to death, when he caught sight of the bodies, and quickly deflated.

"My God..." he muttered lowly, looking around him in horror, before glaring at the trio standing before them. "Murderers!" he cried, pointing at them with a dramatic index finger. "I swear, after I've finished with you, you'll wish you were never born." Without further ado, he threw himself at them, fist drawn back to deliver the killing blow, when one of the women vanished and reappeared behind him. Seiya drew to a complete stop, and her pale hand held back his fist.

"But darling human, we were never born in the first place!" she said triumphantly. Hyoga, meanwhile, had readied himself for Diamond Dust. Summoning up his icy aura, he was ready to launch the attack when a gold veil swirled before his vision.

"I call for Flames, for that is his paradox." The veil suddenly seemed to explode into flame, and Hyoga drew back, eyes wide. Fire. He hated fire. And it was surrounding him, that and the belly-dancer's low laughter.

Through the flames, he saw Seiya attacked as the woman dressed in black threw a handful of black flowers at him. The silver man came forward, and extended his hand to Seiya's chest. The Pegasus saint lay on the ground, incredibly weakened by the flowers.

"SEIYA!" To Hyoga's horror, the man's hand plunged into Seiya's chest. Seiya's back arched, his mouth opened in a silent scream as the man withdrew his fist, and clenched within it was a wonderfully silvery substance. The moment the substance's contact with Seiya's chest was broken, he fell back, utterly limp, his eyes glazed, empty and staring.

"Seiya." As soon as the hoarse whisper had left his lips, he plunged through the wall of fire. To his great surprise, the flames vanished, and the veil he had seen floated to the ground. Hyoga returned his attention to Seiya. The saint lay absolutely still, his eyes like those of a corpse. The silvery man held the silvery light close to him, grinning as the substance churned in his palms.

"Seiya..." Hyoga began to run, desperate to get to his friend. "Seiya, oh please, God, don't let him die...don't let him die, God." His mind stumbled over all the prayers he had learned as a child, and he recited them in a mantra as he prepared to flatten those who had...who had _killed_ Seiya!

A silver-gray light plowed into his chest, and Hyoga was sent backwards many yards. Standing, hand on his chest plate, he glared at the three who stood so calmly, so shamelessly amongst the massacre that was entirely of their hands.

"I'll kill you, I swear it," he whispered vehemently. "I'll kill and for the love of God, I will _enjoy_ it!" But before he could get around to fulfilling his vows, another voice broke into the air.

"Aqua Rhapsody!" Jets of icy water appeared out of nowhere, flying towards the trio, who managed to duck in time. A whirlwind of deep green leaves the cackled with electricity met them next. Hyoga was pleased to see that the woman with the flowers received a large burn on her thigh.

"Avatar of Mercury, my planet is the Planet of Wisdom! I am Sailor Mercury, Avatar of Ice!"

"Avatar of Jupiter, my planet is the Planet of Strength! I am Sailor Jupiter, Avatar of Storms!"


	19. From Somewhere

Hey minna! Sorry it took so long to update but I have been horribly busy. My English teacher had taken homework to a whole new level --'. Anyhow, enjoy. Oh, and I never got how people never recognized the scouts; I mean, come on! All they wear on their faces is a little tiara! How is that concealing in any way??

_"There's something wrong." _

She ran as fast as possible, following the distant backs of Makoto and Ami. Her heels tapped out a sharp staccato on the cement.

_"We want to help you, Minako. We care so much about you..."_

She skidded to a stop outside of a local amphitheater, pushing the mass of gold strands behind her shoulders, and scouting out the scene. Four people were scattered over the stage. Another person stood in the pit, looking coldly furious.

_"Minako...tell me, what is wrong? You can tell me anything, you know." _

She summoned her chain; she didn't feel quite safe without the warmth of the Love-Me Chain wrapped around her hand. It seemed cooler that day, actually. It didn't seem to hum with the warmth it usually did.

_"We're so very worried about you...why won't you say anything?!" _

Sailor Venus tensed as a young woman that looked her age with extraordinarily pale skin threw a handful of black petals at Sailors Mercury and Jupiter, who were still perched on the wall. They ducked it easily, and Jupiter sent another round of Oak Evolution at them.

_"Minako..."_

It was a ploy; the silvery man appeared behind Sailor Jupiter, and threw her forwards with a silver-grey burst of light. Mercury cried out as the other figure in the harem costume danced lithely about her, fluttering and waving her large gold veil. Tying her chain around her waist, Venus prepared to summon her more powerful attack.

"Venus...Love and Beauty...Shock!" The orange heart went spinning, effectively knocking away the harem lady and the silver man. However, instead of looking frightened, or even annoyed, they looked amused. Almost satisfied. She felt a tad bit miffed.

"Avatar of Venus, my planet is the Planet of Love and Beauty! I am Sailor Venus, Avatar of Light!"

They all seemed to advance on her, and before she could summon up another attack, a large whoosh went over her head, and she shrieked, ducking, as a very large, very _hot _something soared over her head. The three all cried out in alarm; even they hadn't expected it.

Suddenly, another breeze as a watery...snake?...blew by, and the Avatar of Light shrieked again; why was it so close to her, damn it!? Huddled on the pavement, hands over her head, she waited until she was sure that no more things would go zooming over her. Peering through her hands, she saw Mercury trying to rouse the Avatar of Jupiter, who was sprawled on her stomach. Three men stood grouped on the stage, gathered about the still form of a fourth who lay very still. Venus' heart dropped.

"Don't let him be dead..." she murmured, her hand straying to her chest. Being the scout of love and beauty, she was very susceptible to the pain of others. "Please..." she whispered. Standing up, she made her way towards them, praying fervently that he wouldn't be dead.

They were all dressed in armor that was highly polished and gleamed in the sun. Two were standing, and one kneeling besides the still one. They were all silent.

She stood slightly behind the tallest, whose dark hair curled out underneath his helmet. Sailor Venus winced; her heart was quite honestly breaking. He turned to her, looking slightly startled. She said nothing and continued slowly to the side of the still one, still offering her pleads to the kami-sama that he wasn't dead.

The goddess of love kneeled besides the blonde man who was hunched over his fallen comrade. He turned to her, and her heart wrenched; the first thing she caught was the grief in his eyes that were a pale, crystal blue.

Something about them, though, were oddly familiar...particularly the way the contrasted with the dusky tone with his skin. Blond bangs fell gently into his face, hair that was oddly pale for Japanese. And his face was delicately featured, its structure vaguely native, but some pieces blurred into something foreign. For the first time in her life, Aino Minako, dressed in the guise of Sailor Venus, was absolutely speechless.

"Kihou," he murmured, that rough voice cracking as his eyes widened slightly. She lightly pressed her gloved hand to her mouth.

"...Hakuchou..."


	20. Revelation

I pity anyone who has to deal with Makoto during PMS. It cannot be fun in any way possible. Thanks Hoshimare for the review. Ahh...Seiya dead. It brings tears to my eyes. Tears of joy, that is. I take Ikki's viewpoint on the matter of Seiya; his only merit is that a pretty, winged horse is his guardian constellation. And that is it. Disclaimer; see earlier installments.

A string of curses left her mouth in a very un-sailor senshi sort of way. Sailor Jupiter attempted to push herself up to her knees, but she got as far as her palms on the ground when a white hot flash of pain whipped up her back. She fell back with a groan.

"I don't think anything's broken," said Sailor Mercury, who was seemingly out of the brunette's vision. "But there's going to be some intense bruising."

"Lovely." She attempted to rise again, this time swiftly, so that she was on her heels by the time the pain had ended, leaving a dull ache between her shoulder blades.

"Um...that probably wasn't a good idea." Ignoring the Avatar of Ice, Jupiter braced her self, and leaned back on her heels, before straightening to her height, and then quickly hunching over again.

"_Shit_!" She hissed, arms wrapped around her stomach. "The minute I see that silver-haired bastard again, oooo I am going to-"

"Makoto!" Ami scolded, hand pressed to her mouth, eyes wide. Sailor Jupiter rolled her eyes.

"Oh, chill. My back hurts like hell. I am allowed profanity. As a matter of fact, I..." But she trailed off as the sight before her took stock in her mind; spread throughout the amphitheater were bodies of men and women laying in various positions, all not moving. Jupiter looked down at the body nearest to her and shuddered.

"Oh _God_," she moaned, stepping away. Mercury fell to her knees, and slowly began checking vitals. She felt the forehead of the unfortunate, and then her hand moved to his wrist.

"He's...he's _alive_!" She said in wonderment. An idea dawning on her face, she whipped out her computer, and began staccato typing its keys.

"They're all alive!" She cried joyously. Sailor Jupiter frowned.

"What? Are they all vegetables or something?"

"Kind of. Right now, their bodies are in a deep sleep. Like a coma. But they're perfectly fine. If only we can figure out what did this to them..." But something had just occurred to Sailor Jupiter, something that made her jump, and scour the place.

"Where's Minako?!" She demanded. Mercury, however, was lost to the world as she surrendered to the enticing puzzle before her. Snarling in frustration and pain, Jupiter turned around, and saw a group of people standing on the stage.

Huh. There were two standing, wearing some sort of armor. Two guys down on the ground; one crouched on his knees, the other sprawled on his back. She sighed in relief when she saw that Sailor Venus was there kneeling too.

Sailor Jupiter began to slowly limp over, determined to find out exactly what was going on there. Once she had staggered up the stage, she made her way over to stand next to the tallest man there.

"I am going to kill him, silver-haired creep." She said vehemently, cradling her stomach. Both the men there turned, looking a bit startled, and then fell into a shocked stare. So she was imitating the hunchback of Notre Dame...what was it to them?!

"Are you okay?" The tall one asked, quirking an eyebrow. Makoto found that she rather liked his charcoal blue eyes. She gingerly tried to push her shoulders back, and was rewarded with a twinge of pain. She settled for slumped.

"I'm great, thanks," she said, sounding kind of strained. However, there attention was whipped back as the blonde guy said something to Sailor Venus in a hoarse, cracked voice.

"...Hakuchou...?" The bubbly blonde asked, almost questioningly. The other man, decked out in pale green armor, frowned.

"How does she know your name, Hyoga?" He asked softly, green eyes suspicious. As the blonde man started a slow, hesitant explanation, Jupiter caught sight of Sailor Venus' face, and sighed heavily. She was wearing her 'oh-dear-there's-a-hurt-puppy-we-got-to-help-it' face. Big blue eyes with tears pooling at the corner, the stricken expression. It was all there.

"Wipe that look off your face right now, darling. We're leaving," Sailor Jupiter said. Venus jumped, and noticed that her brunette friend was standing besides one of the men, looking annoyed and in pain.

"Jupiter!" Practically squealing, she leapt up and threw herself into the injured party's arms. Not a good idea.

"AHHHCK!" The tall brunette shrieked. She fell backwards as knifes pierced her back. She screwed her eyes shut, and clenched her jaw.

"Oh no! I didn't know you were injured! Why didn't you say you were injured?!" Jupiter groaned, keeping her eyes shut.

"I said all of ten words to you, idiot!" she wailed in reply.

"There's no need for name calling." Jupiter could practically hear her pout.

"She can't walk," said an authoritive, deep voice. Hmm, it was the guy with the blue eyes. Nice. "Maybe we should take them to the Estate."

"You can't just go taking girls off the street, Ikki," the other one replied. "And we need to get Seiya home...we need to break the news." Sailor Jupiter, being in extreme pain, and extremely extreme annoyance gritted her teeth.

"He's not dead, you morons," she snapped, opening her eyes. Deep green ones were staring right back at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked sharply.

"I bet you didn't even _think _of taking his vitals," she replied snottily. Venus sweat-dropped in the background.

"You'll have to excuse her; she gets kind of testy in pain." The blonde senshi said weakly. The blond man yelped, and grabbed the fallen one's shoulders.

"Seiya? Seiya damn it, wake up!" The man with green eyes and long black hair turned back to Sailor Jupiter.

"Explain why he won't wake up." Sailor Jupiter rolled her eyes and was about to say something similar to, "I'm not Sailor Mercury, how should I know?" but with a few explicatives, when Sailor Mercury broke in.

"Well, he is in a sleeping coma at the moment. I am on the verge of figuring out why." She said primly, clutching the computer.

"Shit. There's another one," Ikki said, peering at her closely. "We really should take them to the Estate, Shiryu; not only do they know what's wrong with Seiya, have you ever _seen _anything like them?" The one called Shiryu sighed.

"Ikki. You are blatantly tactless." He turned to Jupiter, Mercury and Venus.

"I am Shiryu, the Dragon. We are the Saints of Athena. As you can see, something greatly evil is threatening our world. We would be greatly honored if you would accompany us to the Kido Estate, where we reside." Mercury blinked, and she began to speak.

"We will go with you, but please understand that there are more of us." A dull flush had spread through her cheeks at the way Shiryu had focused all of his attention on her as she spoke.

"More of you?" Ikki inquired, crossing his arms.

"There are nine planets, nimrod," Jupiter muttered. He turned to her, and rose his eyebrows, a little smirk on his lips.

"Why the hell didn't we know about them?" he asked, turning back to Shiryu. The Dragon shrugged.

"Ikki, you can carry her to the Estate," he said firmly. Jupiter frowned.

"Sailor Jupiter, thank you." She said conversationally. Shiryu bowed slightly.

"My apologies. Hyoga, you carrying Seiya?" Hyoga began to lift the limp body of the still one.

"Yes. I've got him." Shiryu looked about thoughtfully.

"Then I believe that is it."

Author's note; Hahahahahahaha! I really had you going there about Seiya, huh? Hahahahahhahaha! As if I could kill off ponyboy. Especially with such an easy death. If I were to kill off Seiya, it would involve a lot of pain. But that is just me.


	21. Circe

Sorry I was so late with this, guys...busybusybusy. But, I was brainstorming at school when I was supposed to be concentrating on silly things like slope formulas and Alexander the Great. As usual, thanks to my faithful reviewers Kybele and Hoshimare. Thanks jamesstutz for you reviews, but please do not do that sort of thing again. I appreciate that you want to review, but instead of making twenty e-mails for me to sort through my inbox, you can just do one big one. But thanks anyways.

Circe was not beautiful. She had a square jaw that was often set in defiance when she was younger. Her eyes were tipped a little too much for her face, and her mouth was held in a loose line above her chin. No, she was certainly not beautiful.

Circe was striking, however, and could be even called lovely with the features that did work to her advantage. Her hair was a lush gold that fell far beyond her waist in gentle waves. The eyes that stared back from that delicately featured face were a cutting violet that seemed to see through anything. Her skin was pale and perfect, contrasting with the dark material that she wore.

But the one thing that made Circe's loveliness obsolete was the majesty that surrounded her, the power and confidence that would surround an emperor. Her aura pushed out into the air, always pushing and groping and expanding. It pulsed, and men and women had been struck down by her sheer presence. Circe feared little.

The sorceress sighed, and rested her chin on her palm, loosing herself in contemplative thought.

"The souls have made us stronger, That Which has been Imprisoned. Fresh, human souls. Does it not feel glorious?" It sent a warm wave of contentment through her mind, and she smiled. Its power increased greatly, expanding its physical form so that it swelled within its prison. And these were _regular _souls...nowhere near the caliber of the superhuman souls.

Her brow knit in concentration as a globe materialized in her palm. And within it, the soul pranced against the walls, trying to break free and return to its owner.

"You cannot escape," she murmured, turning the globe back and forth. The flaming shape seemed to form itself into a winged horse before rearing up on its hind legs. The globe flamed. She chuckled. "You are not nearly so dormant as the human souls which have so strengthened the Trapped One. You fight. Imagine the power of four of your kind combined. We will be unstoppable."

Her mirror suddenly appeared before her. She frowned and peered into its depths. The One Who Was Caged was trying to show something to her, as the flaming eyes flashed on the surface...the flaming eyes of a Soul Eater.

There stood a girl-human. And in her hand, she clutched a scythe. Circe nodded, her scowl deepening. The one creature that could dismantle the entire venture. The Avatar of Destruction. The mirror turned black.

"I understand. We will watch for her." Circe said aloud, the super soul still clutched in her hand, the essence within flaming in fury. She smiled maliciously, watching the soul fight.

"Gyakusetsu!" She commanded to the empty air before her throne on which she sat so imperiously. However, the space was not empty a few seconds later; a Soul Eater had appeared, her head bowed so that the pink hair obscured her features.

"Yes, Mistress?" Circe sat in silent consideration for a moment.

"You have done well to gather the souls that you have. Please pass this on to the rest of the Elite." She remained with her head hanging down.

"Yes, Mistress."

"And then, Gyakusetsu, I want the soul of your disciple. I want it just as I want the two other super souls that we require. Gather them soon! But bring me my newest Soul Eater first. She will bring me one super soul. You and the rest of the Elite will bring me the last."

"Yes, Mistress." Circe sensed the hesitation behind her words.

"You have a question, Gyakusetsu." She raised her head sharply, eyes narrowed. So it was so. "You may ask. I am interested in knowing what pesters you so." Her tone was somewhat amused. After all, she needed three more pieces, and then the puzzle would be solved. The world was within her grasp.

"Mistress, I..." The Soul Eater paused, unsure. "Mistress, why is it....why don't we have souls, Mistress? Mistress, what is it _like _to have a soul?" Circe watched her carefully.

"You ask a strange question, Gyakusetsu." Her head dropped. "But I shall answer. You, Gyakusetsu, and all the other Soul Eaters that I have made have no soul. Souls are messy, understand. They cause you to feel. They cause you to care. I myself have no soul. I sacrificed it to create you, perhaps the one Soul Eater most like me. But, anyways...you cannot know what it is to have a soul, because the warmth and brightness of one would rip you apart. You are not meant for a soul, Gyakusetsu. You are meant to steal them, love them, want them...but never possess one of your own." The Soul Eater said nothing for a moment, turmoil in her pale eyes.

"Never to have one, Mistress?" she asked. But the question was not grieved nor miserable. Just a question of a plagued mind.

"No, Gyakusetsu. Now, leave me. Bring me the soul of your disciple. Bring me my newest Soul Eater, and soon the world will be mine." Gyakusetsu left.

"So...my favorite creation longs for a soul. The time has come for her, just as it came for Ginnezudesu, and just as it will come for Kuroyuri. And watching the girl be destroyed and a Soul Eater set up in her place will seal away anything she feels.


	22. Meeting

God, I HATE writing the meeting parts...ugh. Yes, it sucks, but it gets the meeting bitlet out of the way (THANK GOD). Whew I am glad this is over. Reviews reviews reviews! Thank you jamesstutz for your ever-faithful comments. Hoshimare, you don't like Circe?? I find her fascinating myself. Merci Merci Cally...If you really really really wanna see the disclaimer...go check out chapter 1. Thank you.

Saori was a bit...offset. In her usually calm household (and I say 'usually' here to account for the time when Seiya wondered what would happen should Ikki's hair be exposed to whipped cream) there was a bunch of chattering teenage girls. Saori did not have what could be called a normal childhood, having been living in the large Kido estate her whole life. She had never been to school, and she certainly never had a large group of _girl_friends before.

The saints, however, were in their element. Ecstatic that there were more girls than men in the house, they happily dispersed amongst them, cheerfully talking and flirting.

With the exception of one. Hyoga sat silently at the conference table that Saori had commandeered for the meeting, his hands clasped and a thoughtful frown on his face. There was a pang in Saori's heart as well; Seiya may be alive, but he was just a vegetable. He lay silently in his room at the estate, eyes half open and dulled. He was just like the hundred other people whom Saori ordered be placed in the foundation's hospital.

The thoughts of Seiya had sparked an angry fire inside, and she looked to Tatsumi, who nodded impressively.

"Everyone..." No one took notice of the bodyguard, or maybe they could hear him. He quirked an eyebrow. "SHUT UP!" Needless to say, it worked. Eleven pairs of wide eyes gazed back at him. "The Princess would like to begin." They all turned to Saori, who tried to ignore the flitter of nervousness in her stomach; never had she spoken in front of her peers. National leaders, yes. Saints, yes. Gods, yes. Teenage girls, no.

"It seems that there is a force that had forged a common alliance between us." Her eyes were drawn to the tall blonde woman who stood behind the seated girls. She scanned the rest of them; one with dusky blue eyes and hair who watched in grave interest. A brunette who had a look of determination on her face. Two blue eyed blondes seated side by side, both wearing expressions of vague incomprehension. One with black hair whose eyes darted about before resting on Saori. Then, of course the blonde woman whose green eyes seemed slight mocking and whose hands rested on the backs of two chairs; one of another woman with green blue eyes, and a serene face, and a girl with liquid violet eyes and a similar air of serenity.

And dispersed among them were the saints; Ikki reclining besides the brunette, Shiryu next to the raven haired girl, Shun cheerfully beaming besides the girl whose eyes were so calmly violet. Only Hyoga sat apart, in silence.

"This force has taken one of our own," she continued. "And if we join together, we may be able to beat it."

"Can you fight them?" The tall one asked coolly. "Because it seems that your friend couldn't." The green-blue haired one twisted in her seat to cast a disapproving glare at the blonde, and the rest shot her looks as well. But the piercing green remained fixed on Saori. She pressed her hand on Hyoga's hands, which were gripping the table so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"Are you saying that you can do better?" She asked, her tone mimicking the woman's.

"Haruka does not mean to be so brusque," the seated one said softly, glaring behind her before look back to Saori. "She merely wishes that this problem be taken care of."

"Yes...thank you...?"

"Michiru. You had best know the other's as well. This is Hotaru." Her graceful hand fell on the slight shoulder of the girl besides her. "And we are the outer sailor scouts." Saori nodded, having remembered that term from earlier. "Then the others are Makoto, Ami, Usagi, Rei, and....Minako?" She trailed off, eyes narrowed at the door. Saori turned and saw one of the blondes walking easily through the portal, staring straight ahead.

"Minako? Minako, _what _are you doing?" Rei demanded, standing up. Usagi touched her chin with her finger.

"Minako usually doesn't walk out on meetings like this...hmm..." Ikki raised his eyebrows at Makoto.

"Does your friend always wander off like that?" She chose to ignore him, and inclined her head towards Ami.

"This does not bode well," Shiryu muttered, standing as well. Usagi leapt up as well.

"I've got it!" she cried. "It's a boy!"

"You idiot!" Rei shrieked in return, smacking her over the head. "You think Minako would leave a _roomful _of guys?"

An explosion rocked the house, and Saori rushed to the window, wondering how they found the Estate, and wondering if anyone else would fall.

Three figures stood before the transformed Minako, the light rain making their outlines shimmer.

"Saori?" Hyoga asked, standing besides her. She nodded.

"Go."


	23. Birth of Akigara

More souls stolen, more anguish amongst the scouts...what next? Thanksies, Kybele and Hoshimare for the reviews!! I am going to do a rare thing...I am actually going to rewrite the disclaimer! Yes, I know, don't fall over with shock. Here we go...Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Masami Kurumada repectively. Thank you.

Minako, now outfitted as Sailor Venus, watched the trio before her with caution.

"Why have you summoned me here?" she demanded. The woman in the dancing costume narrowed her eyes. A sharp pain flooded Minako's chest, and she fell to her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"My name, child, is Gyakusetsu. Remember it well." More pain; she cried out this time as flaming knives pierced her chest.

"Why? What...what do you want with me?" she gasped. She heard Sailor Jupiter bellow an attack, but it seemed muted and far away. Minako went to turn around, but a hand had firmly grasped her chin, and was forcing her to look into a pair of silvery eyes.

"You are no longer a human girl. You are no longer a Sailor Scout." She knocked away his hand and struggled to stand.

"You are a liar! You can't control what I am!" she shrieked, summoning an attack.

"Au contraire, love." Hands closed about her throat, and Minako's arms dropped immediately as the pain suddenly became unbearable. Making a sound akin to that of a strangled kitten, she fell again, clawing at the hands gripping her neck.

"You shouldn't keep misery to that extent inside of you, love. It'll just make it worse when it all comes out."

"Wh...what?" she wheezed, straining a bit. The one who called herself Gyakusetsu approached slowly, one hand out in front of her.

"You cannot tell me that you haven't been feeling it, little one," she chastised. "You feel miserable all the time...lonely, neglected. And the reason for it rests right...here..." Minako's hand dropped to cover her heart.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Your soul, fool," The silvery man said coolly. "That is the cause of all emotion, is it not? Were you to be rid of it...why, you would never feel anything ever again."

"But...but I want to feel," she whispered, looking down.

"I am afraid that you have no choice in the matter, love," said the voice from behind her. One of the hands left her neck, and Minako immediately tried to free herself from the other one, when something cold plunged through her back.

The Avatar of Venus froze as something deep with her body was seized, and suddenly pulled out. Her fuku melted away to civilian clothing, and the other hand left her throat. She remained on her knees, one hand pressed to her chest, her mind in a viscous turmoil.

She was cold. Quite cold actually, but it wasn't very noticeable. She was able to push it back without a thought. She heard screams from far away. Slowly she turned around, and saw a group of people standing behind shimmering air, shrieking. Her eyes narrowed. Then she turned back; they were nothing to her, after all. They were just...there.

"What is my name, child?" A woman stood above her, looking down dispassionately. This she knew easily.

"You are Gyakusetsu."

"Very good. And you are Akigara of the Elite Soul Eaters. You serve the Mistress." She rose slowly, looking about her.

"I am Akigara of the Elite Soul Eaters. And I serve the Mistress." Gyakusetsu nodded.

"Kuroyuri!" She snapped. A pale girl with long black hair stepped out from behind Akigara. "Let down the shield. Akigara is receiving her first lesson now." The pale girl smirked and waved her arm. Immediately, the air stopped shimmering, and the people who had been shouting- why had they been shouting?- rushed towards them. Gyakusetsu pointed towards the silver Soul Eater.

"That is Ginnezudesu. He will show you how you take the soul." Sure enough, a tall girl with brown hair drew back her arm. "See the energy pooling there? You must learn to draw energy into a physical form as well. What is her energy forming as?"

"Oak leaves that spark with electricity," Akigara replied smoothly, eyes fixed on the rapidly closing space between Ginnezudesu and the brunette. Just as she was throwing her power at him, he plunged his hand forward and through her chest. The girl let out an ear piercing shriek, and fell to the ground in a still heap.

Akigara quickly lost interest in the unmoving form, and she focused on the green flickering form clenched in Ginnezudesu's fist. How _lovely _it was! All that made up that girl was held so easily in Ginnezudesu's hand.

"That is her soul. See how it flickers with vitality, and energy?" Gyakusetsu murmured. "When we return here, you will take a soul and serve the Mistress' great purpose."

"We must leave," Ginnezudesu said, appearing besides them. "They will soon loose grief to anger and when that happens we must not be present." Gyakusetsu nodded, and took Akigara's hand.

"Minako!" A raw scream caused her to turn around. A girl stared at her, blue eyes wavering with tears. Akigara felt a bit of hesitation, but before she could turn to Gyakusetsu, the image dissolved before her.


	24. Righteous Fury

Thank you all reviewers! I am far too lazy to list you all here...but you know who you are. Be proud! Mmmkay then, disclaimer is in later chapters and....that's it!!

Haruka felt a cold rage building slowly in her chest as she looked down on the still figure of Makoto. For the most part, she seemed alone in her fury. However, Rei's face had gone white and rigid, and her violet eyes sparkled dangerously. And one of the saints was standing perfectly still. Well, that was all well and good. They could hold those assholes down while she put a sword through them.

She hadn't even noticed that her hands were clenching and unclenching in fists until there was a sharp pain in her palms, and tiny droplets of blood stained her white gloves. She detransformed, but even without the feeling of the awesome powers of her planet, she was still in a positive fury.

"Stop, Haruka." Michiru murmured, placing her hand over her partner's wrist. "Anger is not the best route in this situation."

"Who the hell says so?" she snarled, her vision going red when she heard Usagi's weeping. "I will rip those..._things_...apart, and I will enjoy it." One of the saints- Shiryu, was his name?- knelt down next to Makoto, and lightly lifted her wrist.

"It's the same condition that Seiya is afflicted with," he said calmly, peering into her empty eyes. "Alive, but in a vegetable state."

"They did the same thing to Minako, but she was still functioning. Why is that?" Rei asked, her voice in monotone. The rest of the girls shrunk away, but unfortunately for the saints, they did not know that before Rei stormed, there was always silence.

"I cannot say," Shiryu replied, standing up. "All we can do is get this one into the hospital, and work on tracing the others. They will probably resurface again."

This did very little for Haruka's temper, but there was nothing else to do in the situation. Shiryu gently picked up Makoto and most of them began to troop back to the estate. Haruka did not move.

"Haruka, there is nothing you can do now," Michiru sighed, and interlaced her fingers with the blonde's. "Save your fury, and let it harden and grow cold. Then strike, for diamonds are harder than flames."

"I agree, Haruka-mama. But there is something else I mean to tell you," Hotaru said, her face troubled. "Those people have the same auras that I felt in my dream. They are connected." Michiru shrugged.

"I wouldn't be surprised; they're probably premonitions of danger. But please, Hotaru, tell us if you have any more dreams."

"You had a troubling dream?" They all turned to see the blond man watching them through narrowed eyes. "Seiya had a nightmare a while ago. It was troubling for him, certainly...we had to wake him up from it." Haruka gripped Hotaru's shoulder to say, _watch what you say._ The child gave a tiny nod.

"I had a dream, Hakuchou." Haruka blinked; when did Hotaru find out his name? "But I often have such visions; I can sense impending danger." He nodded and frowned, icy eyes dark.

"You are not telling me all of it," he commented thoughtfully. Haruka tensed, finally having reached the end of her tether.

"Listen, foreigner," she snapped, realizing that the words were quite hypocritical, but not doing anything to keep them from spilling out of her mouth. "We have problems of our own to figure out! Two of our teammates are somewhat soul deficient, and as of now, that is more important than some dream!" He frowned slightly and crossed his arms.

"I will not speak of it anymore, if that is what you want," he conceded, starting to walk away. "However, before you speak so rashly, you may want to remember that one of _my _friends is 'soul deficient' as well. And believe when I say that I have every intention of returning him, as well as your comrades, back." He left without looking back.

"Why that-!" Haruka began in a low growl. A cool hand on the back of her neck stopped her angry tirade. Michiru frowned at her.

"He is right, Haruka. You need to think before you speak," she scolded gently. Hotaru had turned away and was looking across the grounds silently, leaving Haruka with no support. This being so, she did not argue, and instead shoved her hands into her pockets. "Don't make enemies out of friends," Michiru cautioned softly, before standing up on her tiptoes to give Haruka a small kiss on the cheek.


	25. Akigara's Mission

Thank you Hoshimare and jamesstutz for your reviews! I don't know about you...but Akigara really really creeps me out . Y'all know where the disclaimer is!

"Who are you?"

"I am Akigara, Mistress."

"What are you, Akigara?"

"I am a Soul Eater, Mistress."

"And what is your purpose to me, Akigara?"

"I am to serve your purpose by collecting the souls of humans."

"And what sets you so far apart from humans, Akigara?"

"Humans have a soul, Mistress. I do not."

"Do you wish for a soul, Akigara?"

"No, Mistress."

"And why is that, Akigara?"

"I do not want a soul, Mistress, because souls make one feel."

"You do not want to feel?"

"No, Mistress." The Mistress turned her gaze to Gyakusetsu, who had been standing near the doors, watching her advocate respond to the Mistress' interrogation.

"Take her to the human world, Gyakusetsu. Retrieve the last soul." Gyakusetsu bowed deeply.

"Yes, Mistress." She beckoned Akigara with a finger, and they both passed through the double doors marking the Mistress' chamber. They glided silently through the labyrinth halls of the Mistress' palace, Gyakusetsu striding purposefully, as she knew the layout well...after spending several thousands of years in the palace, she could walk around blindfolded.

"Gyakusetsu." She paused, and turned to the newest Soul Eater, appreciating her clothing that she and Kuroyuri had picked out themselves; Akigara wore a short Grecian tunic, and heeled golden sandals. With her golden hair, she could've been mistaken for an angel. If only it she had different eyes. Her eyes were blue, and like the eyes of all Soul Eaters, dead. Which was the way it should be, after all; weren't the eyes windows to the soul. And if one had no soul, weren't the eyes a window into nothing?

"Gyakusetsu, was the rest of the Elite human too, and your souls were stolen?" she inquired. Gyakusetsu shrugged, and tapped one foot so that the chains around her ankle jangled slightly to accompany her thoughts.

"No, Akigara. Ginnezudesu, Kuroyuri, and I were all made by the Mistress. All of us, you included, can function off of her soul. We need Mistress, Akigara. Remember that, for without her, the Elite would be dust and you would be in a never-ending coma." Akigara stood on her toes, and twirled in the hall, arms flung out, head tilted, eyes wide. Gyakusetsu was a little unnerved; the girl looked like a grotesque ballerina-doll with her deadened eyes and expression, and the rest of her body moving so gracefully. It was positively creepy.

"So Mistress made you to collect the souls she needs? How old are you, Gyakusetsu?" Gyakusetsu summoned a fan to her hand; she liked to wave it back and forth when contemplating. It helped her think and the motion calmed her somewhat.

"Yes, and thousands of years, respectively," she replied easily. But when Akigara made to open her mouth once more, Gyakusetsu hushed her. "It is my turn to ask a question. Tell me, Akigara. What was it like having a soul?" She stopped moving, and lightly touched her chin with a fingertip.

"It was painful," she replied simply, tracing patterns in the floor with her toe. "It was bitter, and sad, and lonely, and sometimes, entirely too much to bear. It is nice not to have a soul. Not to feel, but to know your purpose." Gyakusetsu folded her fan, and tapped it on her chin.

"I suppose...I suppose I wouldn't like that."

"You wouldn't," Akigara agreed, now stepping one her toes, stretching her legs. "It is so much simpler to be without one. You will never need know envy or sorrow or regret." Gyakusetsu banished the fan with a sharp wave and arranged her skirt.

"Come Akigara. We must go to their world, for your mission is about to begin." Akigara, however, had frozen. She was staring off into the distance.

"You know...there may have been something to being able to feel. I remember...I remember sitting before the sea, and feeling peaceful. Utterly calm. It was nice..."

"Akigara?" Gyakusetsu's voice trembled. The girl turned and smiled cheerfully, her eyes not capturing the warmth of her expression.

"Oh, it's not worth the pain, Gyakusetsu. Very little is. Now, let's go. I want to get this soul!"


	26. Last to Fall

Hey minna! Thanks Hoshimare for reviewing. You know where to find the disclaimer!!

Hyoga sincerely doubted that he had ever felt as horrified as he did then, at that moment when the two women spilled out of the portal, into the lawn on the estate where Sailor Mercury's computer has pinpointed a gathering of energy.

"Min...Minako?" Sailor Moon hesitantly asked, peering at Minako. She merely stared back with a disturbingly emotionless expression.

"I know no Minako," she replied, her voice mimicking her expression. The heeled sandals made a click on the cement as she drew nearer to their small group, the fine material of her tunic rustling. "I am Akigara of the Soul Eaters." She drew her hand back, and a small ball of light formed. Hyoga's stomach dropped...she wouldn't!

"Minako...what are you doing?" Sailor Moon half demanded, half pleaded. Sailor Mercury tugged half-heartedly at Sailor Moon's arm.

"That's not Minako, Usagi...Usagi, get _moving_!" Mercury murmured, but the girl stayed put, staring at her friend. She shot them a disdainful look, and threw her hand forward, the energy leaving it with a crackle. Hyoga, however, was already in motion. Throwing both arms around their waists, he pulled them down to the ground, while Minako's attack soared over their heads.

"Why are you making this so difficult?" Hyoga winced; that voice was all _her_. But the eyes...no way in hell those eyes belonged to Minako. "All I want is one soul. Give me one soul, and I will be on my way."

"Why do you need the soul?!" Hyoga demanded, rising, and pulling a defensive stance. She shrugged, and smiled. Hyoga felt repulsed; she looked like a doll with her empty eyes, and bland smile.

"Because," she waved her hand. "Mistress wants one."

"Who is Mistress?" Mercury inquired. Minako shrugged, and raised a hand to run it through her hair.

"Mistress _is._ But...enough talk. Which one of you wants to make the sacrifice?" Sailor Moon touched the locket at her chest, the other hand reaching out.

"Minako, it doesn't need to be like this. I can heal you, just like I healed Mamoru...just like I healed everyone who needed it."

"Who said I needed to be healed?" Her face twisted in anger. "Who said I don't like this? Who said I don't like never being sad or angry or bitter. _Who said_?"

"And never feel anything again? Never feel happy or content? Is that what you _want_?!" Hyoga snapped, his temper slipping. She shrugged lightly, and ran her fingers through her hair.

"It's a small price to pay." Her eyes lit up as she gazed steadily at Hyoga, searching his face. "You have felt much pain in your life...haven't you?" she asked gently, cocking her head. "You know...losing your soul would mean that you wouldn't feel it anymore."

"Feel what?" he asked in a low voice. Akigara stepped closer, her dead eyes still fixed on his.

"The anger...the bitterness...the loss. And it all can be gone in a moment." Hyoga scowled and stepped backwards. He felt slightly relieved when he noticed that the two sailor senshi that had been with him had backed off, letting him deal with it. It would be a lot easier without them getting in the way.

"That is part of being human. And that is the price _we _pay to feel happy, and joyous. We also have to feel sad and angry." The small smile slipped off her face, and she watched him with a stricken look on her face.

"Joyful...I forgot...I forgot what that was," she murmured, staring down at her hands. "I forget how it is to be happy...I forget how it felt to love...oh, God, I forget all of it..." with her broken whisper, she let out a choked sob, and turned her back to Hyoga, falling to her knees.

"We called the others," Mercury murmured into his ear. "They should get here soon." His eyes stayed fixed on Akigara's trembling form.

"She really wants to come back," he muttered. "This isn't an act. Look at her!" Sailor Mercury frowned.

"I don't know. But we need to be extremely careful. There is always a chance..." Sailor Moon sighed and looked at Mercury wistfully.

"Oh, Ami...you don't think that she's faking, do you?"

"Hyoga? Hyoga, _what _are you doing?!" The blue-haired senshi's shouts went unheeded as Hyoga approached Minako, still sobbing on the ground. He lightly touched her shoulder.

"Minako...we want to help you," he said softly. "Remember, Kihou? You wanted to be a star?" A choked giggle escaped from her.

"I forgot...how silly of me." Hyoga felt as though tons of bricks had been lifted from his shoulders. Was she really back? The blonde straightened and slowly turned around to face Hyoga.

"Minako, I..." but he trailed off as her face came into view. Tears were still damp on her cheeks, and her mouth was twisted in a tiny frown, but her eyes were still empty. She reached out for him.

"Help me, Hyoga?" she smiled tentatively, and dismissing the chills creeping up his spine, he took her hand. Her smile widened. "Thank you."

And he felt it plunge into his chest. Groping, her hand seized upon something within him...and then he felt it leave his body. The world faded around his eyes as he fell backwards onto the grass.

"Kihou..."


	27. The Descension Part I

Hi all! We're finally in the last leg of 'Still' and I am rather excited...I can't wait to see it get done! Not that it hasn't been absolute joy doing it...but I wanna see it be done! So yeah, today Usagi looses her temper, and Hotaru reveals critical info...the whooooole bit. So enjoy!

Usagi damned Mamoru for not being there. She cursed him for daring to go to some silly, useless, pointless lectures in New York City, and leaving her to deal with this alone. She had seen the souls ripped from three people, two of them amongst her very greatest friends. She had seen one of them transformed into a disgusting mockery of her former self.

As she released a choked sob at seeing the still figure of the swan saint, she needed Mamoru there. She needed his warm, solid strength behind her, his whispers that all would be well and that she could fix this. That she could solve this disaster that had been so kindly laid on her plate. Her shoulders felt heavy.

"Usagi...Usagi, what happened? _Usagi_!" The bubbly blonde's normally nonexistent temper snapped, and she glared at Haruka, who maintained a painful grip on her arms.

"God...damn...IT!" she shrieked, ripping away. "Why the HELL are you worried about me? Why the HELL are you shaking me around when there is someone laying on the ground without a freaking soul?!" The tall Avatar of Uranus blinked and stepped back. Sailor Mars peered cautiously over her shoulder.

"Jeez, Usagi. There might be someone in England who didn't quite hear you." By now, the complacent rabbit was literally shaking with rage. Why were they so focused on her? Why were they so panicked when poor Hyoga was lying like a vegetable in the grass. _What was wrong with them_?!? She stepped aside, and pointed at the motionless body, her arm trembling slightly.

"That is what we should be worrying about at the moment. Not me. Not Ami. Hyoga. Hyoga is the topic of all conversation as of now." Sailor Mars covered her mouth, and Sailor Uranus snarled.

"Another one. Damn." The others arrived, spilling into the lawn from various directions. The dragon saint entered from the same direction that Haruka and Rei came from. Shun and Sailor Saturn came from the direction of the manor and Ikki and Michiru appeared out of the foliage of the bordering wood.

"Oh, fuck." Ikki said matter of factly, looking at Hyoga's body. Little Shun looked horrified, and Shiryu was an interesting mix of grim determination and positive fury. Sailors Saturn and Neptune maintained a calm air about themselves.

"It'll be interesting to see what happens next. If the legends are right..." Hotaru trailed off thoughtfully, her hand tightening on the glaive. She jumped slightly when she realized that the whole group's attentions were focused on her.

"What legends?" asked Shiryu, his frown deepening. She shrugged slightly.

"When this first began, I bought some books at a local store...They were mostly in archaic French that I had to translate to read. But they were about a sorcerer who supposedly created terrible creatures that survived off of the souls of others. I guess he experienced some sort of...I don't know...suicidal impulse and he created one that could drink up the souls of the world in an instant. It would-"

"Layer the Earth with a blanket of silence so absolute that not even the wind would be prompted to whistle across the soulless bodies left behind." Shun finished. When everyone had transferred their gazes to him, he blushed and looked sheepish.

"You left your book behind that day..." he murmured. Hotaru smiled.

"I suspected as much. Back to the Soul Eaters...what troubles me is the latest selection of these creatures. Their last four targets have not been regular humans, but us. The great creature the sorcerer created was sealed away long ago in a black void. Could someone be aiming to release it?"

"We'll just have to beat them before they can. Where is this thing sealed?" Ikki asked confidently. Hotaru shook her head.

"I am afraid it's not that easy; it's sealed in a separate dimension that we don't have access to, and-"

"And I am afraid you are too late."


	28. The Descension Part II

Whew...I have been too busy lately. Anyhow...thanks all for your reviews! Hey Miguel, great to hear from ya! About time frames...eh, I'm starting to wrap this baby up, so I really am I not going to worry about it at the moment. Also, I have never seen the Hades chapter, and it is a sacred vow of mine that I never write about something I have never seen/read. I really can't get into the characters otherwise. Erm...Hotaru isn't paired with Shun. Please tell me you guys don't think Hotaru is paired with Shun. She's too young. They're just pals. And once again, since we're getting close to the end, I am not too concerned with pairings. This isn't a romance, after all. And I really am not going into detail about Hyoga and Minako. It's just that Kybele wanted them to be together, and as I didn't get any other pairing suggestions at the time, and I had nothing better, I figured I'd kind of put them together. In a way. Hmm...I like Shun and Minako, though. I never really thought of them being together, but Shun being so shy and Minako so outgoing, it would be interesting. And when I was thinking about pairings, Ami and Hyoga did actually come to mind because their... I dunno...auras/powers/whatevers are so compatible. Ice and ice. Thanks for the great suggestions! I don't know if I'll be doing another crossover like this in a while, but if I do, I'll remember your ideas! Wow...that was a long author's note. More like an author's letter.

Circe was pleasantly surprised to find that the humans hadn't _completely _screwed over the Earth. Yes, there was an almost suffocating scent of pollution in the air...and yes, the natural forests were disappearing faster than what she would like to know...but the air was still air, and the water was still water, and she was happy to know that it would soon be cleansed of the idiot humans.

The super humans stared at her, completely non-plussed. Circe stepped forward and nodded at Akigara, who gracefully approached and bowed, holding out the pale blue soul with both hands.

"The last soul, Mistress." Circe took it, and smiled. She had the four now, and it would be released at last.

"Thank you, Akigara. You have served me well." The once-human Soul Eater bowed, and stepped off to the side, a tiny grin on her face. Circe turned to the super humans. "You see, I now have the four souls that I need to release the Devourer. And there is nothing you can do to stop it."

"The Devourer." Circe frowned slightly. The speaker was a girl-child, whose eyes held the imminent silence of destruction, and her gloved hand curled tightly about the legendary glaive, the blade glinting ominously.

"You...you were not influenced by my visions. I see why now," Circe's face relaxed; it was almost too simple. "The Devourer could do nothing to you, for you _are _destruction. You and the Devourer are one in the same, child. Did you not know it?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" A blonde woman demanded. Circe raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it means that this child will hold the great honor of hosting the Devourer. Your friend," she gestured at Akigara, "has been channeling the Devourer lately. But it needs a true host, and she unfortunately belongs to the light. The Devourer needs one of the darkness."

"Over my dead body your creature will take her!" the blonde snapped, her aura flaring for a moment. Circe narrowed her eyes; idiot creatures dared contradict her!

"That can be arranged." The woman opened her mouth to say more, but was silenced by the girl-child who stepped forward.

"Who are you? The creator of the Devourer was a sorcerer. Are you his successor?" Her voice was cool, and they all looked to Circe questioningly. She, however, was fighting down hot fury; the child dared _remind _her of her past? She _dared_? However, she composed herself; they _were _ignorant humans, after all.

"I was a girl living in the French Revolution. It was rather pathetic actually; orphaned, living off of garbage. And so, imagine the excitement of discovering a book that told of a man who created an army of fearsome creatures to rule the world." She fought off the rushing memories, striving to keep her voice cold and controlled. She was Mistress, she was Circe, and she was not going to feel it! "And so, I went to this old man's castle...now a ruin, raided countless times by bandits and the like. And it was there that I established my immortality. It was there that I began to make my Soul Eaters. And it was there where I found the Devourer."

"Listen, you! Just because you had a difficult childhood doesn't give you the right to destroy the world!" the miko said angrily, violet eyes burning. Circe chuckled to herself.

"I do not blame my desire for this world to be silenced on my childhood, girl. The power is mine to behold, and once the Devourer is released, I will never have to watch and listen to idiot human trivialities."

"And so...you will surround yourself with creatures that you create yourself, and live out eternity in a world with no other humans. Is that truly what you want?" His quiet, meditative voice was gentle, the young man who was protected by Draco. She held the soul closer.

"Yes. Yes, because I have had enough of human filth. I have watched it for a century now, and I am sick of it! My Soul Eaters do not rape, or make war. _They merely exist_!" Circe stopped herself, and took a deep breath.

"It does not matter what words you say to me. On this spot, I will release the Devourer, and there is little you can do to stop me. Cherish the emotions you feel right now, for they will be the last." She smiled as she felt the presence of her Elite, as well as the other three souls. She turned to them.

"Gyakusetsu...give me the souls!" The vivacious Soul Eater looked at Circe with wide, pale green eyes.

"No. I won't."


	29. Rebellion

Whew...I finally worked on my story! Hmm, well, here I think we'll find some interesting bits, nothing too out there. Thanks for your reviews, and I hope you like. And yes, we all know where the disclaimer is. Why should people bother writing a disclaimer when their story is posted on a site titled' fanfiction'?? I mean, we all know it's fanfiction, and it does not belong to you! Jeez... I'll be shutting up now.

Ginnezudesu shot a look at Gya, his eyes narrowed dangerously. _What the hell was she playing at_? Circe's eyes narrowed as well; with the exception that hers were burning with fury.

"I will ask you again, Gyakusetsu. _Give me the souls_." The rest of the Elite watched the Soul Eater closely, praying that for their sakes, she would just give the Mistress the damn souls. Gyakusetsu gathered the three souls to her chest, and frowned.

"I thought I already told you no, Circe." Mistress' face twisted in pure rage, and Ginnezudesu stepped partially in front of Kuroyuri, who was watching with wide, horrified eyes.

"_What did you call me?_" Gya said nothing. "I will kill you, fool. And I will be glad that it has been done, for you are a failure amongst my creations."

"Then do it!" snapped Gyakusetsu, eyes bright. "You can't kill me anyway, Circe..."

"What?" she snarled. Gyakusetsu nodded, and looked down so that her hair obscured her face.

"You can't kill me. There is nothing in me to kill. You can only destroy me." She looked up defiantly, anger in her face. "And I wish you would! I will no longer exist as a soulless _thing_!"

"Has she...has she gone mad?" Kuroyuri asked, peering over Ginne's shoulder. The silver Soul Eater was shocked.

"She'd be destroyed at her own whim?!" Cold laughter directed Ginnezudesu's attention back to the Mistress.

"I will gladly destroy you, Gyakusetsu. And then I will have the souls." She shook her head slowly.

"No, Circe, you misunderstand me. I said I'd wish you would destroy me. But I never said that I would let you destroy me for the souls." Mistress frowned, and held out her hand, palm facing up. She suddenly clenched her fist, and Gyakusetsu bent over double, gasping. Mistress' fingers tightened, and Gya gagged, a wave of blood pouring from her mouth to pool around her feet. Without releasing the souls, she fell onto her back, choking.

Ginnezudesu was there in a flash; they _needed _each other. The Elite were the only of their kind in existence. They had to stick together. Mistress smiled when Ginne carefully examined the face of Gyakusetsu.

_Convince her to give me the souls_, her voice poured through Ginnezudesu's head. _And I will spare her. _

"Gya? What are you doing?" he hissed, touching her face lightly. "Damn, Gya, what are you trying to prove?" She opened her eyes wearily, and turned to Ginne, the blood making a track down her cheek.

"Maybe, Ginne...if she destroys us...we can have another chance at having a soul. Wouldn't that be nice, Ginne? A soul. I've always wanted to know what it was like to have one." All the longing came rushing back at Ginnezudesu with the intensity of a freight train.

"We can't have souls, Gya," he replied harshly, vocalizing the beliefs he had so desperately clung to. "We weren't created to have them. Just let it go."

"I won't."

"Gya," he pleaded, as her eyes glazed and her head lolled to the side. "Just give it up. We can go back to the way we always were, if only you'll do what Mistress wants." She snorted weakly, and held the souls closer.

"Circe is a monster. I would rather be destroyed than serve her."

"And that is what will happen if you don't give her the damned souls!" he snapped. He was aware of Kuroyuri's presence behind him, but he ignored her. "Give up this fantasy of yours; we'll never have souls, Gya! It will never happen!"

"Shut up, Ginne." Kuroyuri was on her knees next to him, tears pooling in her blue eyes. He was taken aback; she had never used that tone with him before. "Just shut up, okay? I don't....I don't want to be like this either!"

"Kuroyuri...you...don't..." he stuttered weakly for a moment. "Is this a female thing?!" She smacked his arm, tears running freely down her cheeks.

"Don't act stupid. I _know _you wanted one too!" She turned her face to Gya. "I'll help you, Gya, I promise! I won't let her get the souls!"

"You all are fools. Complete fools." Circe loomed above them, her face icily cold. "I am sad to see that my finest creations must be destroyed. But then, I made you. I can make more."

"So, be gone from the world. May your bodies of ash and blood be simply that; ash and blood!"


	30. A Possibility

Oh, how I LOVE three-day weekends! I was able to get tons of stuff done! Yay! Thanks for the reviews, all!

There was dead silence amongst the remaining saints and senshi. They were all intent on watching the little drama unfolding before them as Circe's creatures actually rebelled against her.

"Get ready," Sailor Mars muttered. "As soon as Circe crushes them, we're next. And then the world." Shiryu, however, disagreed.

"Watch Circe's face," her whispered in reply. There was a tiny spark in her eyes, something that should not be there. "This is causing her pain. Whether physical or emotional, this is actually causing her to be in pain."

"The question is, how can we exploit it?" Mercury inquired thoughtfully. Shiryu sighed.

"_We _can't. We mean nothing to Circe. But her Soul Eaters do. If somehow we can make them stronger than her, they can force her to back down. Possibly."

"Great. I just love risking my life for a possibility," snapped Ikki. Shun frowned at him.

"What are you whining about? You'll just come back anyway." Shiryu and Ikki gaped at the Andromeda saint, who looked surprised as well.

"Are you sure you aren't channeling Seiya?!" Ikki demanded.

"Hush!" Neptune shushed them, nodded at Mercury, who was deeply engrossed in her little computer. "She needs silence." They watched longer, listening to Mercury's fingers type a quick staccato. The Soul Eater who had refused Circe suddenly bent over, blood pouring from her mouth.

"Hey, Ami? I don't mean to rush you, but now would be a good time," Usagi murmured, not taking her eyes off the Soul Eaters.

"Patience," she replied. Ikki snorted.

"Patience isn't going to save our skulls when Circe finishes with them." With a short snarl, Sailor Mercury snapped her computer shut with a stormy expression on her face.

"Sometimes, technology is worthless," she said lowly. She fell into a deep contemplation, and even Shiryu was starting to get a bit anxious.

"Ami..." Sailor Moon pressed. The blue haired senshi suddenly snapped her fingers, perking up.

"I think I have it," she whispered. "If they take on the four souls, they can stop Circe long enough for us to figure out a way to destroy her."

"That's a no go," Ikki said shortly, scowling. "Those filthy things are not taking my friends' souls and making off with them. It's not going to happen." Shun nodded hesitantly.

"I have to say I agree with Ikki. I mean, what's to stop them from stealing those souls." Ami shrugged.

"They wouldn't steal them. Those souls would fit them like a too small piece of clothing. It's simply not who they are. Everything from the auras to the thoughts would clash. They'd fight an internal battle for an eternity."

"What about Minako?" Sailor Uranus asked coolly. "What if she won't take the soul? It seems like she's on Circe's side right now." Sure enough, Minako...or Akigara rather, stood behind Circe, watching emotionlessly as her fellows were threatened.

"She'll take it back." Sailor Moon said confidently. Saturn turned to her.

"Are you sure, Usagi?" She nodded, blue eyes determined.

"Minako wouldn't want to be that. She'd want to have a soul, I know it."

"Very well then," Shiryu said. "We'll have to try it."

"WHAT?!" squawked Shun and Ikki in unison. Sailor Moon glared at them.

"We _have _to try it." She repeated stonily. Swallowing their protestations, the brothers quieted.

"THE SOULS!" Shiryu bellowed suddenly. They turned around, Circe glowering, the rest with a scared determination on their faces. Akigara maintained her silence. "SOUL EATERS! TAKE THE SOULS! TAKE THEM NOW!"


	31. Soul

We're getting clooooo-oooser! Thanks, loyal readers, for your kind reviews.

Kuroyuri cupped the flame in her palms, and looked questioningly at Ginne. He nodded in encouragement, and pressed his own flame to his chest, shutting his eyes as it was pulled inside of him. Taking a deep breath, she did the same.

What...what a lovely feeling. The warmth of it spread throughout her body, from her eyes to her toes, flooding everything with something...a filling feeling. Slowly, Kuroyuri opened her eyes, and gasped, tears threatening to spill again.

Why, it was so...so different! She could see the sparkle in Ginne's pale, silvery eyes, that were dull before. She could see a human flush in her own, pale hands. The world was beautiful. Oh, she loved it. She _loved _it! And as she turned her eyes back to Ginne, she felt something. Her heart raced, and a dull warmth crept over cheeks.

"Ginne..." she whispered. He peered into her face, and she felt so different. "What is this?" she asked lightly.

"I...I do not know," he replied, suddenly turning away. A lovely smile had spread over Gyakusetsu's face, and she sat up slowly, wiping her chin with the back of her hand.

"My friends," had she always had such a resonating voice? "We must save this world." Ginnezudesu held the orange soul in his hand, and he was presenting to Akigara. Her held her fingers for a moment, and gazed deep into her eyes before pushing the flames into her hand.

Her head was spinning. The soul inside of her was lovely, but it wasn't her. It spoke of strength, of green growing things, of loud thunder...and it wasn't her. Kuroyuri clutched her head. It _hurt_!

...Akigara pushed the orange flame back into her self, and started crying, and then laughing. She laughed, falling to her knees. A tiny black chip was suddenly dispelled from her shoulder...

...No, it was her chest. The black chip came out of her chest, and she hugged herself tightly, laughing and crying...

...Circe bellowed in fury. The souls were gone. Taken into the soulless, she was furious. Kuroyuri felt satisfied, to see the woman who had caused them all the internal chaos in a soulless state so furious that tears had come to her eyes too.

...And Kuroyuri was standing. And the power she had felt so strongly before was thumping solidly through her veins, and her head had cleared. The soul was willing to work with her to destroy Circe.

A pale blue aura had flared up around Ginnezudesu, sparkling with ice crystals, and the one around Gyakusetsu was a pure, blinding white. Akigara's was golden orange, burning brilliantly, and Kuroyuri's own aura, instead of the usual deep, metallic blue, was a rich green and brown, swirling about, it's turmoil caused by innate fury.

"You think you can kill me?!" Circe shrieked. "You can't exist without me! Without me, you are NOTHING!" A mirror appeared before her, and Circe held it high above her head.

"I will smash the void, and summon it with my own soul!" She cried wrathfully. "I can unlock it myself, and then it will destroy the world!"

"DIE, CIRCE!" Four voices cried powerfully. Kuroyuri felt a surge of warmth, and she seized it, and pushed it out of her body so that it became a long strong of green light, screaming through the air at Circe.

The four lights hit the sorceress; orange, blue, white and green. Love, ice, loyalty, and growth. They converged upon her as she threw down the mirror, screeching...and then she shattered.

It was mystifying how she shattered like the face of the mirror; her body broke into cracks, splintering and breaking into a cloud. When the dust had settled, all that was left was her brilliant gold hair, which slowly melted into ash.

The mirror melted as well, the molten gold and glass seeping into the ground, and leaving no trace of its existence.

As Kuroyuri struggled to stave of a wave of dizziness, she heard a deep...not a voice, but like a feeling, echo in her mind...

I WILL HAVE EVERY SOUL IN THIS WORLD...THE DEVOURER CANNOT BE DESTROYED.


	32. End

Whew...Sooooo close. SOOOOO close. We are very nearly almost at the end! Exciting, huh? Keep reading!

"It's...it's over?" Shun asked, looking at the smoke where to sorceress had splintered into dust. Shiryu nodded in a relieved sort of way.

"They did it. The souls of Seiya, Hyoga, Makoto and Minako were able to destroy her."

"It has a nice sort of irony to it, hmm?" Hotaru mused thoughtfully. Shun sighed, and tugged on a strand of hair.

"I'm just glad it's over! Hey...I betcha Tatsumi locked Saori in a closet!" Ikki smirked.

"I bet you Tatsumi locked himself in the closet _with _Saori." Before Shun could voice how disturbing he found this comment, a weak voice drifted over.

"Okay..._why _am I wearing a nightdress?" Everyone looked over as Minako looked around her in a contemplative sort of way. I'd also like to know how I got out here, too."

"Minako!" Usagi shrieked, throwing herself into the blonde's arms.

"Usagi!" she exclaimed just as happily. "Have I been away or something?"

"Something like it!" replied Usagi. Sailor Uranus sighed, and rubbed her forehead.

"Birds of a feather," she muttered. The three Soul Eaters approached. They were all grimacing, and the tall silver man had to support the smaller woman.

"Thank you," whispered Gyakusetsu, her hand pressed to her heart. "Now we have a chance to have a soul. And you destroyed her..." Shun looked at the apparently young woman slumped against the man's side.

"Is she...is she going to be okay?" he inquired. The man nodded wearily.

"She just can't handle the soul. As a matter of fact, they're all ready to go home." He smiled ruefully. "Thanks again. And sorry about this whole mess."

"We understand," Shiryu conceded.

"Wait!" Minako looked at them desperately. "What will happen to you? Circe is gone!" Gyakusetsu smiled tenderly and patted Minako's shoulder.

"We'll be destroyed of course," she replied. "But, we'll have another chance at life. We won't be tethered permanently to Circe."

They all stepped back, and exchanged glances, for they knew that they might never see each other again.

"Good luck," whispered Minako. And the three souls appeared, the Soul Eaters falling to the ground simultaneously. The souls hovered for a moment, before hurtling off into the sky, and streaking over their heads.

The Soul Eaters lay on the ground, and slowly, they crumbled.

"Blood and ashes," murmured Sailor Uranus, and three piles of ash were created as three creatures were destroyed.

"I wish we could've done more," Hotaru said mournfully.

"We did all that we could," Shiryu replied. Shun felt a small twinge in the energy around Haruka, and a soft, cool breeze sifted about them, carrying the ashes away with it.

"You know what?" Mars asked after a heavy silent. "I think they did die after all."


	33. Epilogue

...it's...finally...FINISHED! WOHOOO! Celebration time, come on! Wow...this is like, the first time that I have ever finished a fanfic totally. I am proud of myself. Thanks to all my reviewers for sticking with me through out this thing, and still reviewing. I got another St. Seiya fanfic to start working on, so look for it in the St. Seiya....erm....genre, I guess is what you'd call it. Thanks again, guys!! I love you!

Just for old times sake, Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya are property of Naoko Takeuchi and Masami Kurumada respectively. Thank you.

Haruka was sitting still, which was an unusual occurrence in itself. Haruka was sitting still, and letting her cigarette dangle from her fingertips, the smoke floating up to twist and blur against the stars. Her leg was drawn up so that she could rest her chin on it, the other tapping the ground in a rhythm that only she knew. A breeze picked up, stirring a few strands of corn silk hair, and for once she felt perfectly relaxed.

"The wind is at ease." Michiru sat next to her, their fingers interlaced. Haruka savored the touch of her silky hair against her cheek.

"Peace," Haruka replied, glad in knowing this. Instead of hot and smothering, the summer evening was balmy but comfortable.

"And the water laps peacefully on the shore." Her voice, sweet as silver bells, rang in the still night air, easily floating up to the heavens to join the twinkling stars.

"Change...it will not happen for quite some time. We would do well to relax now." Michiru's contented silence agreed with Haruka. Both of them were well versed in the ways of the nature, and how shifts in the natural cycle could prophesize an event. Haruka glanced sideways at Michiru, and smiled.

"Well...we can't say we did it, this time," she said, squeezing Michiru's fingers. She shook her head in amusement.

"No, we can't. We were witnesses to a series of terrible events...but we were not the solution."

"No. Three extraordinary creatures were the heroes of this story."

"Hello, Setsuna. Long time, no see," Haruka greeted her without turning her head. Michiru turned around and smiled cheerfully at the guardian of time.

"What's going to happen to them?" Setsuna smiled a bit herself, and looked out over the lake.

"They will be reborn, and receive souls of their own. They did not die the empty shells that they thought they were, however."

"Oh, really?" Haruka turned to see Setsuna. "What were they, then?" Setsuna shrugged, and hugged her arms.

"They were...they were different, yes, but also a little human. They knew suffering and they knew longing. And they knew bravery. And they will be rewarded for their sacrifices."

"That's nice to hear," Michiru commented. "I'm glad that they'll get their second chance after all." Setsuna nodded.

"Please tell the girls..." a mischievous smile alighted on her aloof features. "And the guys. I see Minako has taken up a relationship with the Cygnus saint?" Michiru grinned, and Haruka outright chuckled; extremely amusing it was to see Hyoga and Minako together. Such a reclusive young man with an airhead like Minako.

"I rather like his nickname for her...Kihou." Setsuna rested both her hands on their shoulders. "Enjoy your period of rest. You never know when it may be interrupted."

"What...what do you mean, interrupted?!" Haruka demanded, twisting around. However, the time angel was gone. They sat silently for a moment.

"I think I am going to go book a flight to Hawaii now." Michiru nodded.

"I'll go tell Hotaru."

"I'll do it quickly so we can get out of here as soon as possible."

"Where did you put those leis from that silly party Minako insisted on having?"

"Threw 'em out. What did you think I did with them?!"

"Oh...well...never mind."

"On second thought, I don't want to know."

FIN


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